After Image
by Marron Everard
Summary: A hobby!fic. Uploaded for a friend. Spoilers within. Please read latest chapter for Author Note, updates and other details.
1. A Comical Introduction

**Disclaimer: **This is in no way my story. Okay, wait, the plot is. No wait, Garrett and the Thief plot isn't mine. They belong to either Ion Storm and/or Looking Glass Studios.

**A/N:** This is all for you Corinne. You and your Undead Ninja Babies! XDD

* * *

Perhaps it was nothing more than her imagination quite literally getting the best of her, but last she checked, she slept in a floral-decorated single bed and not on a cold cobblestone street. Getting up quickly, she realized she was not the only one surprised at her sudden change of location.

Three separate groans sounded left from where she was standing and the dark haired girl squealed in semi-delight and semi-surprise.

"Adam! Oh, my god, Andrew! Miriam!" Rushing to the nearest one (who was unintentionally Adam) and helping him up she muttered a quick "Thank god you're here..."

"What? What are you doing my room…? Wait…" Desiree saw the quick change of expression on his face as he looked around and asked "Where are we?" She shrugged and proceeded to help the others.

As soon as they were all recovered and newly-stretched, Desiree went around to her surroundings. She suddenly stopped and her heart followed suit. "What the flying f--." She stopped herself and pointed out a single character that stood humming a familiar theme.

"That's a Hammerite…" Adam and Miriam cried out in synchronized 'what's but Andrew furrowed his brows and followed the direction in which her finger subtly pointed. "You mean…"

"What the _flying _fuck are we doing in the South Quarter?" Furthermore confused, Andrew turned to look at her. "How do you know this South Quarter?"

"I played Deadly Shadows to both a certain extent and level. I recognize that gate. That leads to the Docks." Andrew quirked his eyebrows in acknowledgement, while both gamers involuntarily ignoring the other two.

"Would you mind explaining what's going on?" Adam exclaimed.

"Yeah!"

Desiree whipped around, almost embarrassed that she had just ignored her crush. "I think we may have somehow, miraculously got sucked into a game. A game both Andrew and I played but _I _am more experienced at." She emphasized on the "I" and all of them rolled their eyes.

"What do you think we're supposed to do?"

"I'm getting to that. Most probably we have to figure out a mission. But because we aren't exactly the top-selling favored characters in the Thief game, I suggest we find the person who _is_."

"So, where do you think he is?" Adam questioned, as they started walking north. "Just north--…er… east. Yeah. He's right next to the entrance to the Stonemarket Plaza."

"You _memorized_ the map?" Andrew exclaimed. Desiree nodded enthusiastically. Miriam halted and held back the rest of the group. "Wait, aren't we supposed to run from them?" She nodded her head towards the direction of the City Watch Archer and the female Hammerite. Desiree shook her head.

"They only go after Garrett. I don't know Garret's current Faction Status with the Hammerites, but I can tell you that the City Watch doesn't give a crap about neither the Hammerites nor the Pagans." Miriam looked even more confused. "The Hammerites are the people with the big scary hammers. The City Watch are the people with either swords or bows. The Pagans are filthy looking people with some sort of grammar impediment." Her mouth formed a comical 'o' in answer.

The guards watched them as they passed by but Desiree bounced past them and slyly gave the Archer a flirtatious wink. The two boys exchanged glances.

Walking along, they spotted a rich-looking fellow who basked in the attention from other citizens which were directed at his jewelry. "That is perhaps the first man I've seen who was proud of wearing that many necklaces and bracelets." Andrew commented.

Desiree's attention, however, was fixed on the man's bag of gold. Realizing that if they were to stay here for longer than they had to and given Garrett wouldn't be as hospitable as to letting them hideout in his pad, she quickly lashed out her hand as the man turned and untied the pouch from his belt and quickly hid it in her arms as she quickened her pace.

When they reached Garrett's Building, somewhat exhausted (aside from Adam who was used to walking at that pace), they turned to ask her why she suddenly quickened her pace. "Because…" she flashed the bag of gold.

"That explains why the man yelled out something about a pickpocket…" Adam laughed. "You're gonna get caught you know…"

"Sadly," she argued "as much as this world may seem real, the AI seems to still hold an evident limitation to the characters in the game." She chuckled "Though a better improvement from the previous Thief games." And Desiree mock-quoted: "I shall cuddle thee!"

The non-gamers, stared in confusion. Andrew corrected, "That was cudgel, you moron." He whapped her head from the side. "Ow! I was only joking! That was when I started playing Thief and—I misunderstood … oh, never mind. You are such a killjoy." She continued into Garret's building, feeling strange as she had become used to the prompt screen asking whether she wanted to enter the area.

As they entered the Building, the patrolman spotted them and went to greet them. "I'm sorry but, the landlord's out. You'll have to wait until dawn tomorrow morning."

Desiree flashed a smile. "Oh, no worry. We're here to visit a friend."

"A friend, oh well, then, please sign in the guestbook."

As they crowded around the book on the shelf, the patrolman walked away continuing his round.

"I think it'll be good if we don't use our normal names here. Lookie…" she pointed out the last few names on the list. "It's safer to go with English names, so fire away, boys."

Miriam started to write. She looked up and waited for their play names.

"Benjamin," Andrew started. "Benjamin Newland."

"Oh, my god, what kinda name is that?"

"Don't complain. It's good as it is." Miriam defended. After giving her a significant look, she looked at Adam who was still pondering. "What should I name myself?"

"What about 'Mango'?" Both Miriam and Desiree erupted in hysterical giggles. Adam just raised his eyebrow. Recovering from laughter, Desiree suggested, "Anthony Rumford." Adam nodded.

Andrew laughed. It was Desiree's turn to be defensive. "Better than Benjamin _Newland_."

"How about you girls?" Adam asked. Miriam mentioned a name. "Elizabeth Thompson." Desiree expounded. "Wife to Vladimir Dragulia three times. Died around 23 times. A player in love, has been lover to Clark Kent and his superego, Superman. Also a wife to –"

At that, Desiree earned a semi-hard slap on the arm from Miriam. "Enough already. How about you?"

"Maria Fidelio." She said with much finite. Miriam argued, "That doesn't sound very English." She shot her an annoyed look. "It's Latin, really, but considering, English _did _evolve from Latin, so don't you complain, either."

"Mary the Loyal? Hah!" Andrew pointed and laughed. The patrolman came back and asked them. "Are you quite done, yet?" The group nodded and Desiree led the way up into the second floor. Turning right and up another flight of stairs, she breathed heavily.

"This has gotta be unreal. I'm about to see the famous, Master Thief, Garret… like, oh, my god."

"No need to have an orgasm…" Andrew commented. A yell of pain erupted from his mouth two seconds later.

She knocked on his door. No answer. She knocked again.

"In a moment!"

Desiree had heard Stephen Russell's voice too many times to not be able to recognize it. The door gave way after the sound of a chain being dragged and a click.

The hooded figure of Garret stood in the doorway and she nearly fainted. "Hey. Um, could we, by chance be speaking to Garrett?"

He paused and his glance swept over them and back to her. "Depends on who's asking."

"Erm, if we say we're familiar with the Keepers would you let us in?"

He paused again and after a while he let them in. Andrew went up to her an angrily whispered, "What do you mean _we're familiar with the Keepers_?" She whispered back, "It's true! It just that they're not familiar with us! So, technically speaking, I told him the truth."

After they sat down on makeshift chairs (or rather, barrels with thick tweed cloth over it) Garret leaned against the table and asked. "What does Artemus want now?"

"Well, I didn't exactly say we were _sent _by them." Even though his facial features were hidden under his hood (apart from his glowing mechanical eye) she felt him raise an eyebrow.

"I know, I'll explain…"

* * *

"So, what do _I _have to do with this? Am I suddenly the commercialized hero of Dayport?" He shifted in his seat. "What do you want me for?" 

She breathed a sigh. "That's the thing. We need you to lead us to the Keepers, we think they might know how to get us back to our continent…"

"I don't believe you on that part. Why don't you just find a world map and take a ship that leads there?"

"There's no ship that leads there. It's a pretty desolate place, not to mention a kinda secret place…"

"So, you're lost travelers from a desolate, kind-of-secret place, in Dayport and you managed to stumble upon a couple of thugs who mentioned my name and you went here based on instinct and you expect me to get you outta this mess."

"Um, yes."

"No."

"We'll work for you!"

"…No."

"Why not?"

"I told you, no. Now, get out of this place before a throw a gas bomb at you and hand you in to the City Watch under crime of breaking and entering."

The door slammed shut behind them and they sat on the stairs leading down into the hallway.

"Next time, why don't we plan on what to say instead of improvising a story on the spot?" Adam grumbled.

"Yeah. God knows what mark I got for Drama in Year 7…"

Andrew shook his head.

"Now what do we do?" Adam asked. Desiree paused in thought and stood up. She took something out of her pocket and muttered a rushed "be right back" as she grabbed a candelabrum on her way.

They stayed put in silent thought and she came back dragging an unconscious patrolman with her. "I never knew it would feel different from the game, but heck, it was fun." She dropped the unconscious figure on the floor and signaled for them to follow.

She lead the group into an obviously lock picked room (as the hair pins she grabbed out of her pocket were hanging off the key hole) and into a reasonably small room. There were two sofas and a double bed which was currently being occupied by a sleeping tenant.

Desiree put her finger to her lips and they continued to sneak into the room, staying close to the door in case either the guard wakes up or that her plan fails. The sleeping man suddenly woke up as Desiree tripped over a mug.

"Wha…" the man started. She quickly bounded towards him and struck him down. He flinched but he did not fall. "Was that supposed to hurt?" he taunted. Obviously angry, she swung the object, this time sideways and got him straight on the temples and he fell like a ton of bricks.

"Oh … dear…"

"My GOD! I've just remembered how irritating that was!" She dusted herself and turned around to her friends who gawked at her. "Look, you guys want a room or what?"

"Yeah, but, we could've done it _without _having to hurt him." Adam argued.

"Well, no matter. He's KO'd already anyway, so might as well. Get cozy. Me and Mim on the bed and you and Adam get the separate sofas."

"Hey! How come _we_ get the sofa?!" Andrew retorted.

"For one, ladies first…"

"…could've fooled me…" Andrew muttered.

"_Secondly_," she ignored his remark "we're more comfortable with each other. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like the idea of sharing such a tiny bed with each other?"

Adam and Andrew looked at each other then said in unison "Never mind then."

"Then a good night to you all." She took off her brown jacket, slipped off her shoes and hopped into bed, while Miriam followed suit. Andrew hopped onto the sofa and Adam did the same with the other.

Down the hallway and up certain stairs, a door closed behind a content man who had a story to tell the Keepers.

* * *

Garrett closed the door behind him and in a few swift strides, he reached the small desk in his back room and started to write a note. 

_Artemus,_

_I found something interesting. Meet me in Terces Courtyard tomorrow night – as always._

_G._

Ever since Orland had 'earned' his title as First Keeper he had to be more careful than usual with whom he contacted as Orland was not very fond of him and kept an annoying close eye on him almost every time.

Slipping out his building quietly, he half-ran to the South Quarter passage, carefully avoiding the City Watch. A few of the people had their pouches jingling with gold which caught his attention. After pick pocketing a few and remembering to mug the blonde later when his eye caught a fancy bracelet on her, he sped past the semi-drunk guard and entered the Stonemarket Plaza.

Remembering to stick by the shadows, he walked further north to Terces Courtyard where he left the note. He tensed as he felt someone move behind him.

"How many times am I supposed to say this? I don't like being followed."

"I can't help but notice you've made new friends, Garrett." Artemus stepped out of the darkness.

"You were in my building? A nice hello would've sufficed."

Artemus smiled cheekily. "But you seemed so taken by that Maria girl. I didn't want to ruin your chances with what seems like a new interest."

Garrett scoffed. "Don't mock me. She didn't look any older than 16." He shifted his cloak around. "Besides, I make it a policy to not get emotionally involved."

His mentor chuckled and sighed. "I was actually on my way to talk to Orland with them. Would you like to come?" The Master Thief shook his head. "Last thing I need tonight is the sight of him."

Artemus heaved a long sigh. "If you must. I'll see you around then… Garrett? Garrett?"

* * *

The next morning woke up a very cranky Desiree, a dazed Miriam, a zoned-out Andrew and a blank Adam. 

"So now wh-." Andrew started. Desiree hissed at him to shut up and growled. "Coffee. No coffee, no happy."

Giving her a bemused stare, he shrugged to no one in particular and proceeded to fix his sofa/bed. Adam had already done so and went to look for breakfast in the small cupboard near the fireplace.

"Anyone up for … eugh, what the hell is this?" He gingerly held out a musty looking box which had the faded words of "EZ Cook Sausages". The group almost simultaneously winced.

"I call for take-out." Andrew declared after fixing his sofa. Miriam argued. "I don't think there's take-out in … what year is this game in?"

Desiree shrugged as she rubbed her bleary eyes. "Wouldn't know…" she slurred. "Maybe … 1800s? I'm not all too sure. Ask me again after coffee."

Giving her another bemused look, he asked "What the hell is up with you and coffee?" She gave him a blank stare and shook her head to snap out of it. "Drank coffee since I was 9. Addicted to that particular amount of serving of caffeine. Body reacts weirdly. I get easier fatigued. Also because of aforesaid addiction, immune system lowers defense. Prone to sickness and all that."

Andrew raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement. Adam then interrupted. "I, for one, can't go without food for so long." Desiree scoffed. "Pfft. Typical Taurean. Heheh, alliteration. Betty Botter bought some butter but, she said the bitter's butter. Heheh. I got it wrong." After a couple of more forced giggles she heaved a long sigh and said, "Oh, no, someone please give me coffee."

The rest gave her equally strange stares. Desiree suddenly jumped and said. "Oh! Idea! Paper! Pen! No, wait… Papyrus! Quill! Ink! Impunto!" Grabbing the aforementioned items, she started scrawling hurriedly onto the paper then blew on it, making sure the ink dried.

"What did you write?"

"A _blackmail _message…" After receiving the uncanny similar stares from a while a go, she continued. "Okay, not really, I just got an idea of what to say and how to say it to get us to the keepers."

Rushing out of their room the group stood. "I guess she'll be the hero of this story." Adam said as he relaxed back onto the couch." The others followed suit. "But I really am hungry."

Miriam laughed at the continued comment and Andrew shook his head. Several minutes later she returned with Garrett at her heels.

"Okay, didn't go as I planned, but oh well. Ends justify the means." She closed the door behind Garrett as he continued into the room. "You lot owe me."

"For what?" Miriam retorted. "You did jackshit for us."

"Well, after you people left, I did."

"Oh, right." Andrew said sarcastically. Desiree hissed for them to shut up. "Dude, let him speak. He totally saved us."

Garrett wasn't used to being the centre of attention (as most of the time, he avoided attention completely) but he started. "I visited the Keepers last night, after you left." Garrett walked further into the room towards the direction of a chair.

"It took a lot for me to get you guys to them."

"How do you mean 'a lot'? It's just a little meeting." Adam said indignantly. The master thief shook his head. "The part where I was trying to get to the person in charge was a lot. Persuading him to see you wasn't as hard."

"So when and where?" Desiree leaned against the table.

"Meet them at Terces Courtyard tonight. I trust you know where that is?" The three people who weren't familiar with the map of the place shook their heads. Desiree nodded almost enthusiastically. "Yup. I do. I'll be there to guide 'em."

Garrett looked at her. "I thought you didn't know your way around..?" She felt his suspicion tense the atmosphere. "I was walking around to GET here, remember? I have a map!" Desiree whipped out the map from her pocket. "See?"

"Huh." The master thief then turned on his heel and in three graceful strides, left the room.

"I have no idea why you ever liked him." Miriam pointed out.

"Neither do I. He's an arrogant, unclean, ruggedly handsome, kleptomaniac who has to steal all this crap to pay his rent." Desiree shook her head. "Me and my choice of men. Ai vay."

After a thick silence and the echoing of Garrett's footsteps out of the building, Desiree spoke again. "Wait, that _is _why I like him." She grinned to no one in particular. "His arrogance, indeed." Desiree looked around at her friend who gave her bemused stares.

"What?"


	2. Meeting at Terces Courtyard

**Disclaimer: **This is in no way my story. Okay, wait, the plot is. No wait, Garrett and the Thief plot isn't mine. They belong to either Ion Storm and/or Looking Glass Studios.

**A/N:** I know the entire "sucked into another universe" thing is an old story plot, but I have to remind you that this was inspired by a mere dream and urged on by a friend. Mainly up because of aforesaid friend.

* * *

Garrett walked out of the foreigners' room. They were a strange bunch. He couldn't say he didn't look forward to hearing their explanation later on at night. 

_Or is it your newfound interest in that Maria girl? _A voice that suspiciously sounded like Artemus sounded in his mind. Quickly shushing the thought up, he couldn't help but think, maybe…?

Outside the building, he shook his head. He was being silly, and considering after only what seemed to be an hour of sleep, he understood why. Really, the _Master _Thief? He's at the top of his game and he has no time to consider getting emotionally attached to some strange girl from what could be a different dimension.

* * *

That afternoon, after receiving several strange stares from their new neighbours, the girls decided to go out shopping for some proper clothing to fit the timeline they were in. 

"I personally like the corset idea."

"Erm, why? The wires, they'd just hurt, and the ribbing…"

"Well, to women of this century, they were trained for that sorta stuff, from when they developed breasts-."

"Can we _please_ stay away from that topic?" Andrew cried.

"Why? It's so entertaining to see you boys be so comfortable about the topic when you always pull so many jokes about them."

"Yes! Jokes! Not actually going into some essay-like conversation about it!"

"Same thing." Miriam said as-a-matter-of-factly. "It's still has the same topic."

Adam then argued. "_Anyway_, what shop exactly are we going to?"

Desiree scanned the long cobblestone street before them. "There should be a tailor next to one of the City Watch outposts… ah, _voici_!" The French attracted some of the people passing by her and gave her weird looks.

"Erm, well, there it is." As they started walking up the slightly sloped street, Andrew spotted a small alleyway right across the tailor's. "What's that" he pointed.

They all looked in the direction he pointed and Desiree caught their attention again with an excited "ah" as though she were to tell a very important fact. "That's Black Alley. That's like the downtown part of the South Quarter where illegal stuff happens …" She continued in a more hushed voice. "…like Black Marketing and selling stolen stuff to fences. Garrett frequents there, obviously."

Andrew asked in an equally hushed voice. "Why doesn't the City Watch do something about it, if they know? They have a friggin' outpost right next to it."

She thought for a while. "I dunno but I suspect that they don't have a clue about it. If they do, the area's probably protected by some random rich corrupt guy in the hierarchy in this place. I mean, there are loads of bad guys here, so all the stuff that goes on in there you'd think people would earn a load of money from it."

Once they reached the shop they quickly dropped the subject seeing as the shop was full…

…of women.

The annoying high-pitched chatter of the women rang in both the boys' ears and the stares brought a red flush through their face.

"Outside!" they chorused and went back out.

Giving each other significant looks, Miriam and Desiree went to line up. Thankfully, the line was considerably short and the shop only seemed full because the women had dragged their children along. _Must be a weekend… _they both thought.

* * *

Outside, Adam and Andrew chatted about how the girls seemed readily accepting about the fact they were swallowed into an entirely different dimension and were discussing their suspicion that they both may have known about it and dragged them along as they were the girls' obvious 'significant other's. 

Somehow, to the passersby, they seemed a suspicious pair themselves since they were hanging around what would be a woman's place to shop. Unfortunately, it was too late for them to notice the stares they've been getting and this had called attention to some of the Citywatch – or the Hammerites, neither of them could not tell the difference.

"D'you have any business 'ere?" asked the tall lanky man.

Failing miserably to stop themselves from stammering, they looked at each other for help.

"Well, we were just—"

"—girlfriends back inside the shop—"

"—honestly not any—"

After a few more stuttered excuses, the men exchanged glances and after mutual agreement one of them spoke.

"I think it'd be prudent to take you to Pavelock for an _interrogation_." His dramatic stress on the last word gave hint that they weren't really going there for an interrogation.

Panicking, Adam tried to bolt across to the aforementioned Black Alley but was cut off. The men grabbed either arm of Adam and tried to frog-march him away. Putting aside his reproach for the guy, Andrew attempted to wrench one of the men's grips but was thankfully saved by an arrow that barely missed their heads.

"Choose what you want, officers," taunted the voice of the owner of the arrow. "These larrikins or me." When the man stepped into clearer view, the boys realized it was, in fact, Garrett. The officers hesitated then immediately let go of Adam and ran after the quickly disappearing Master Thief.

The commotion they caused outside the Tailor's brought the girls' attention and they decided to come outside to check on them.

"What did you do now, Andrew?" Desiree started accusingly. Andrew, indignantly retorted, "What do you mean 'what did I do'?"

Adam cut them off before they could start arguing. "Some officers (Hammerite or Citywatch, can't tell the difference…) tried to arrest us just for looking suspicious and …" he dropped his voice a bit lower when he noticed some people who saw the incident tried to eavesdrop. "…your Master Thief saved us with an arrow."

Gasping, Desiree whispered back. "You mean, he killed--?"

"No, no, no. He created a diversion." Adam pointed to the arrow still embedded in the wall. "Oh hey!" He pointed out a little note attached to the end of the arrow.

Being the closest, Desiree grabbed the note before the crowds could notice it and she read it out loud enough for only the group to hear.

_You owe me – again. Meet up back at my apartment._

_G._

"Huh." Was all that escaped Desiree's mouth. The expressions on the other's faces were equivalent to that of her statement.

"One would question when he finds the time and where he finds the ink to send us these notes."

* * *

_Knock. Knock._

This time, Garrett didn't ask who it was. Opening the door briskly, the four faces looked at him ashamedly. "Get in." he growled.

As soon as the door was shut behind him Desiree started, "Look, we didn't intend for those dorks – those classic idiots to come up and suspect us of anything."

Garrett stared at her, his mechanical eyes' glow reflecting his annoyance. They sat in tense silence until Desiree tried again. "I'm sorry, alright?"

Silence.

"Talk, gorramit!" Andrew looked at her from the obvious _Serenity_ reference.

"Talk?" Garrett shifted his position. "Your _classic idiot _of a friend here could've talked his way out of it instead of bolting, much less towards Black Alley." Adam flinched from the insult but otherwise stood (or sat) strong.

"Your _other _even worse classic idiot, could've _avoided _the attention from the crowd if he didn't resist the arrest and even worse _not _try to rescue his beloved friend." Andrew twitched from the homosexual implication but bit back his tongue.

"And the most _classic _of fools, namely _you_, could've let them in the shop so that they wouldn't look so suspicious - if not foolish - in the first place."

Growing steadily angrier Desiree held back, only mustering up enough of her pent up rage to match the Master Thief's cold and annoyed stare. Adam was the first to break. "For one, Mister I-am-so-damn-good-at-stealing-things, it would've been even worse had we gone in the shop as it was _obviously _a _woman's _thing to go in there and we would stick out like a sore thumb in that sort of crowd and would've been branded as _perverts._" Desiree was slightly surprised at his well-observed retort but remembered that Adam was one of the smartest at her school. She smiled inwardly.

But Garrett was still unmatched. "At least sticking out like a sore thumb _in a crowd _where you could easily lose anyone chasing you and slip out unnoticed than sticking out like a sort thumb in a clear place where anyone could get you.

"And at that, those Citywatch will probably think you are with me because I was so _amiable _enough to create a diversion for you _children_."

Desiree broke. The first time anyone heard her talk as coldly as she had.

"Well, I _apologise _sincerely for all this shit that you had to go through just to save poor little defenseless us." Her stare matched her cold tone. "But in fact, why should we apologise? You hold no leverage over us. I know the way to Terces Courtyard, so you're not exactly of any _immediate _use to us. Sure, it may be a tad bit _dangerous_ to cross such a _great _and _skilful_ thief life you, Garrett, but heck, _bring it on bitch._"

At this, Garrett narrowed his eyes at her. She continued. "And why don't you leave the boys alone. So they wanted to stay out of trouble and perhaps keep their dignity unharmed - which you, my dear sir, obviously _lack _–. And besides, how would _you _know what kind of embarrassment they would've avoided? It's not like you have any ego to lose, god knows you're perfectly _abundant _in it." She snorted. "God knows you wouldn't have any reason to _go_ into a woman's store, anyway, not like you've had a woman in your life, much less a _man_."

Whatever feeling they had pent up had dissipated in anticipating Garrett's retort. As such, he was still unmatched.

"I, do not have a woman because I do not need one, because god knows, men," He glanced at the boys. "_Not _children, would do so much better without them. Look at where I am, I'm a Master Thief."

The girl before Garrett fumed. She stood up not saying anything and gestured for everyone else to follow her out.

"Yeah, a Master Thief who can barely keep up his own rent much less the missions he takes up on the side." She said vehemently. She let the others out first and slammed the door behind her.

* * *

"Desiree…?" 

"Des…?"

"You alright?"

Normally, with any other argument with another person, Desiree would spit back at the person inquiring that she was in fact, _not _alright and then launch into a long list of _colourful_ adjectives of the person she argued with. But strangely enough, she was quiet. Which therefore was not normal.

When they got back to their room she changed immediately into her peasant clothes which signaled the others to do so as well. Once they were done she sighed exasperatedly and sat down.

"Goddammit!" She yelled. Desiree sighed once more. "I hate that man. He's just as unbearable as any other guy I've really brought myself down to _admit _I've liked." Sticking her foot in her mouth she hastily added, "Not pertaining to you of course, Adam." Adam nodded in understanding.

"So, you alright now?"

She sighed again. "Aside from imagining tearing that piece of furniture over there to mere splinters and imagining it's some part of Garrett's anatomy still attached to him I'm perfectly zen-calm." She glanced out the window. "It's almost sunset, we should be ready."

Desiree stood up and went to fix something in the beds. Miriam glanced at Andrew and Adam. They were obviously still worried about Desiree biting their heads off should they make a wrong move, but otherwise they seem less effected by the tension from the previous incident. Miriam stood up and went on to the kitchen part of their rooms. "Want something to bite on the way?" she asked Andrew in particular.

"Your neck." He said jokingly.

Blushing, but knowing it was some sort of flirtatious joke, she laughed. "Only Dracula, Andrew."

They laughed a bit, except for Adam who stood up and went into the sectioned off part they deemed the girls' bedroom. Once he disappeared behind the curtains, Andrew mock-whispered to Miriam.

"I think Adam's off to "cheer Desiree up", isn't he?" he curled his fingers to emphasize.

"Ooh, I think _more _than that."

They laughed.

* * *

"Hey, you sure you alright?" 

Startled, she looked around. "Oh, uh, no, yes, kind of. I'll deal with it." Desiree shrugged. "I don't think I can look at him in the "Omgurtehroxnmywrld" way anymore, but I got a life to hopefully get back to, so I don't have to put up with him unless I boot up my computer to play Thief again." She added with a thought. "If ever."

Adam gave a grim smile. "It's good that you've played this game, though. At least we'll know our way around _without _that cretin." She laughed. "Oh god, I wouldn't last one more minute with that unbearable --"

* * *

"--annoying girl!" He exclaimed to Artemus who waited with him for the children at Terces Courtyard. Unfortunately for Artemus, Garrett was in a foul mood. He had no choice but to put up with it. 

"Indeed? Well, it _was _quite unfair of you to yell at them. They didn't ask you to rescue them."

"But Orland was to meet them and –"

"_They_ asked to meet with Orland. Orland is not terribly upset with their case, just as much as he isn't upset over your case."

"I don't even consider asking him to be."

"And no one asks you to be upset over _their _case, either Garrett."

The man was right. The entire time he had been with him he had been cursing some not-so-friendly things about the children and the nerve of that _girl_,_ Maria_. He sighed exasperatedly.

"If anything you should be blaming yourself." piped up Artemus after a long silence.

"What? How?"

"Your repartee with them may have caused them to change their mind, leaving you to have gone out here so early for nothing."

"And you as well." Garrett replied bitterly.

"I am merely doing my job. You, as a thief, I don't think, would have to escort them?"

"I'm here of my own interest."

"In Maria?" He smiled cheekily.

Garrett retorted fervently. "For the last time, Artemus, do NOT talk to me about that girl in that way. She is perhaps that last thing I'd think of in that way. She is in all ways horrible and annoying and uptight and egoistic--."

"I hope you're talking about yourself, Garrett." Interrupted Maria's voice. "It'd be mighty cruel of you to speak of your elders in that way, much less in front of them."

"You are not in anyway my elder."

"I was speaking of Artemus, you clueless dolt."

Before Garrett could speak anymore Artemus cut him off. "Glad to meet your acquaintance, Maria." He bowed slightly. "Now, if you will follow me?" He led the way and Garrett stayed back glaring at Maria's gradually disappearing back.

Spitefully he trailed after them, following into the Keeper door and Artemus followed suit.


	3. The Exposition

**Disclaimer: **This is in no way my story. Okay, wait, the plot is. No wait, Garrett and the Thief plot isn't mine. They belong to either Ion Storm and/or Looking Glass Studios.

**A/N: **The darker my story gets. I don't know if the little arguement last time sounds serious or anything, but at the time I was incredibly upset and kind of threw in all the insults that had invaded my head and mixed them into some sort of spiteful dark part of my first serious fic. Bleh. Enjoy the expostion of this one.

* * *

They entered into an empty room with a doorway leading out into some sort of library with a set of tables and chairs in the centre. Desiree was excited to know that she was somewhat close to the Keeper Compound and wanted to explore some more and examine the tangible reality of the game. She held her excitement back as she realized a large crowd was waiting her presence in the aforementioned area of tables and chairs. 

Her friends as well were too distracted by their surroundings to pay attention to the crowd until they came out of the empty room. They looked in Desiree's direction as to ask "What do we say?"

Desiree whispered in reply, "Let me speak. I know I'm being selfish and slightly up myself here, but I'd rather not have those Keeper Assassins on our tail just yet." Once seeing where she nodded her head towards, they nodded in acknowledgment.

"Greetings, strangers." A familiar voice to their right said. It was Orland all in his high-and-mightiness. "You perceive that upon normal circumstances we would've sent our Assassins to eliminate you and any evidence that would point to our existence, but I have taken a personal interest in your case. I suggest you explain yourselves and your purpose to our fellow Keepers."

He imperviously waved a hand to the stand next to him. She went towards the stand and realized that the small intersection behind the stand was blocked off by the intimidating presence of Keeper Assassins. Desiree gulped. Normally, as Garrett, she would totally kick their asses in about a couple of seconds, but seeing as she had no Flashbombs on her nor Gas Arrows and the like, she decided to play safe.

At the stand, she cleared her throat. From where she was, she could see that high above, was where Caduca was watching. As if Caduca could feel her glance up, she smiled back down. Desiree shuddered. The Keepers were indeed creepy.

"Good, uh, evening." She nodded at the crowd. "Erm, I know you find it strange that some foreigner from some random distant land knows about your organization that you know well is kept very discreet. I assure you it is, and there is no such traitor amongst you."

_Yet._ She added in her thoughts.

"I'm not sure if any of your glyphs have foreseen my – our coming, but I can also assure you we bring no harm. Which comes to the question of our being here. Why are we here?" She started feeling more comfortable with the quiet but attentive crowed. "We know nothing about how or why we came here.

"We are, so to speak, from a different dimension. To us, you are mere fiction, a _story_. And on that note, I offer you my suspicion that we are here to go along or perhaps help this story progress." She cleared her throat. The crowd started to whisper amongst themselves, perhaps at her comment of "different dimension" and their reality being nothing more than a fiction.

"As I have experienced in the last few hours, this place is just as real as it can be, so I promise you, your lives are not controlled by a pen and ink." She sighed once more. She had lost her point some way through her speech but continued to speak.

"As to why we are here specifically, we have asked that you aid us in finding our way back to our, erm, dimension, and we would be eternally grateful if you do." Desiree thought that her speech was nothing more but inane babbling but somehow her last few words brought light to whatever her audience was mystified by.

Orland took a step forward to the stand once Desiree stepped back. He talked of some sort of finding strength amongst those who we do not know and some random pep talk but one sentence stopped Desiree from falling back asleep.

"As you know, their appearance was expected, but their appearance has brought even more mystery to what our glyphs hold…" After that, Orland went back to talking about being friendly to the group. Once the audience had gone back to their business, the Keeper Assassins disappeared and the Keeper Guards escorted them to Orland's office.

Almost as if on cue, Garrett had appeared from the shadows. "What kind of explanation was that? It was nothing more but inane babbling." Desiree's annoyance went back up but she refused to say anything.

Orland was finished with talking to the guards and went over to their group. "As you may know, I am Orland…" he bowed almost worshipfully. "First Keeper Orland." Almost immediately, knowing Orland's arrogance, she cringed away from him bowing but restrained herself from showing her disgust at him. Good guy or bad guy, she still disliked Orland.

Garrett saw her almost-flinch. He smirked.

"You should practice your first impressions, Orland. I don't think she likes you." His dry tone annoyed Desiree who it wasn't even directed at.

Irritated with Garrett's presence, Orland asked bitterly, "Why are you here, thief? Why don't you practice your trade somewhere else?"

Garrett said. "I'm not really under your command, Orland. I'll come and go as I please." He looked at Maria. He only noticed now that she was not in her foreign clothes but in one of the peasant clothes with a small very valuable necklace adorning her neck. Garrett fought the urge to nick it.

"Well, um anyway, I wasn't really listening back there…" she looked uneasy at admitting so. "Erm… what are we supposed to do now?"

Orland then explained, "For now, you should stay where you currently reside. I have ordered a special group to look up--."

"Oh, oh!" She suddenly exclaimed. "I was wondering with what you said about our coming here being predicted or something in your glyphs." Desiree glanced briefly at Garrett who seemed uninterested. "I was wondering what _else _it said about us, actually."

"Of course, of course," Orland started "you may see. But, in time. For your coming here not only brings us great hope, but also it signals that the Dark Ages are upon us…" the First Keeper suddenly trailed off and Desiree knew that he had said too much in the company of Garrett. Although, the Master Thief seemed unperturbed.

"Lemme guess," Garrett sighed. "I'm not allowed to know." Orland then changed his friendly tone. "Well, you should speak to Keeper Artemus about that. He might have some news for you outside in Terces Courtyard." _Now he seemed interested_, Desiree thought. The man strode off in a billow of his cloak.

Orland then turned back to her, his friendly host-like demeanour returning. "Well, then, would you like to stay here, under guard of the many Keepers? Or would you prefer that thief to keep watch over you?"

Almost immediately her friends spoke up for the first time since entering the compound. All chorused a "Yes!" but Desiree stood a firm and sounding 'No."

Her group gave her bewildered looks. "I thought you found the man annoying!" argued Miriam.

"I do, but … for now I'll bear him. You guys can stay here, if you want, but I strongly suggest that you stay with me. For … well, I'd explain it if I could, but I--."

"Then explain it." Andrew urged. Desiree gave him a look. She was silent for a moment then turned back to Orland. "Can we talk about it first?" Orland nodded and left them on their own.

"So what's up now? A big beast is underneath our beds if we sleep here?"

Desiree looked at Adam. "Too close to the truth, you have said." Adam raised his eyebrows. "Well, yeah. There's a part in this game where we find out someone within these very walls is a traitor--."

"Orland. It's Orland." Miriam guessed.

"No, no, he's just been manipulated by h—the person. So, anyway, I won't tell you who this traitor is, coz people might overhear…" she cocked her head over her shoulder and realized that Orland may have stepped away from them, he was still there studying them.

"…so, I'd prefer Garrett, knowing who this traitor is."

"Just tell us. It's not like he'll understand what we're talking about."

"No, I can't risk that. I know who the traitor is and it's a very evil bitch/bastard, whatever it is. Like, manipulating-cunning evil." She took a breath. "Trust me on this one."

"We've trusted you so far." Adam pointed out. "Well, we haven't gotten killed yet. Why the heck not?" Desiree smiled at his willing support. Andrew and Miriam then eventually consented and they went back to Orland.

"We've decided to stay with Garrett. The man may be a pain in the behind to be within 5 kilometers, but there ARE some advantages." Orland, surprised, then nodded and escorted them out.

* * *

Garrett waited outside for Maria and her friends to come out. Once they did he immediately asked her. "You packing already?" 

"Packing? Why?"

The Master Thief looked at her. "To move in with Orland."

"Are you kidding me? I'd sooner walk on hot coals. Anyways, he looks like a pervert. Last thing I need is some ancient bifocal-sporting peeping tom looking through my window while I bathe." Andrew commented from behind her. "You'd enjoy it anyway."

"Don't make me kick you, _Benjamin_."

"Bring it on, _Maria_!" Andrew retorted.

"Mi—lizabeth! Sick 'im."

Miriam raised her eyebrow. Obviously she had not caught on to their use of their codenames.

"Dammit, you're supposed to be on my side." Rolling her eyes while stifling her laughter, she turned back to Garrett. "We're staying put. Why, don't you like our company?"

Garrett shook his head. "No I don't. I'd rather not have some half-pints clinging onto my rent and my job."

Maria made an indignant noise. "Excuse me but we have our talents, unlike you, Mr. Kleptomaniac." He opened his mouth to argue but she cut him off. "We're going to open a shop. We're going to work. Like any other civil person around here, which rules you out." She smiled to herself.

Garrett merely harrumphed and walked on with her, carefully sticking to the shadows so that the Citywatch that passed them by as they walked would not recognize him.

"They say you're a prophet." Garrett suddenly said after passing through the Stonemarket gate.

"Eh? What?" Desiree incredulously looked at the Master Thief.

"They say you know what's going to happen. Who's going to die and all that. You're a walking fortune teller." Garrett studied her reaction.

"Well, if I was, I'd've won several Lotto's by now."

"Lotto's? Is that your currency?"

Desiree chuckled. "Nevermind. But I can assure you, I'm no prophet. I may know a lotta things, but not really the future."

"Am I going to get rich?"

"No."

"Aha, so you _are_ a prophet." Garrett narrowed his eyes at her.

They were at the building. Walking in Desiree replied, "Yes, I am. Of your _immediate future_." She mimicked an evil laugh off _Austin Powers_ and everyone gave her a strange look.

"…ahem…" She blushed. "Ooh, I hear you got a mission. May I ask what kinda mission?"

"Just some old nabbing of sacred object and desecrating hallowed grounds." Garrett said casually. "Nothing special."

Behind the two (who were walking quite slowly towards Garrett's apartment,) Andrew and Miriam were whispering as they walked to their respective room. "Since when were _they _on such good terms?" Miriam whispered.

"Maybe something happened that we didn't know."

"Maybe."

"Oh look, Adam's jealous." Andrew pointed out Adam's quickly disappearing figure. "That's why he walked faster."

"Faster than he usually walks, you mean."

"Meh."

* * *

Back inside their room, after Desiree had returned, they started bombarding her questions with her sudden friendliness with Garrett and vice-versa. 

"Dunno, maybe he heard good news from Artemus that he didn't tell me. But, I have learned a great deal about our situation, now."

"You mean you learnt his penis size?"

Disgusted, Desiree threw a pillow in his direction which Andrew blocked. "No, you sick person. I learned what mission he's up to. He's up to the part where he steals the Chalice and the Paw from each of the Factions."

"The whaty-whatsit?"

"Don't tell me you seriously JUST played the first level."

"I seriously JUST played the first level." Andrew replied mechanically.

"Gawd, you suck. Well, anyway, it's just one of his earlier missions. Actually, it's his _first _mission. Day One, if I recall. He already did the first part of the Mission which was to attempt to sell something he acquired from a previous mission (which was incidentally the training mission) and he's just recently disposed of some thugs who were after him for stealing it. Even more recently he's sold it to the PROPER person to sell it to."

The group was now definitely paying attention despite their sleepiness.

"So, that means, in about a few hours or so, he'll be in St. Edgar's Church in Stonemarket Proper stealing the Builder's Chalice."

"What?"

"Well, that's his mission, to steal that Chalice. In a few hours or so, he'll accomplish that."

"So we have to help him?"

Desiree shook her head. "Nope. Too late. He's just went in to check his equipment in his home and left right after I got back inside here."

"It takes him just a few hours to steal that? I could steal it in 15 seconds!"

"Mind you, the Hammerites (the people he's stealing it from) aren't exactly his bosom buddies. Should they find him sneaking about in their Church, they'll whack him into oblivion with them Hammers they wield."

"It's a church! These Hammerese should be following the Ten Comm—" began Miriam.

"Ah, I forgot to tell you, but in this world, God doesn't exist. Hammerites worship this God called the Builder but like a industrial-kamikaze version of our Jesus Christ." Desiree explained very well if it were not for her spur-of-the-moment invented words.

"What do we do?" Adam asked nonplussed.

"We wait until _tomorrow _night where we offer Garrett our trade."

"What? What do we trade? Our old clothes?" Adam asked stupidly.

"Ahah, no. We set off tomorrow afternoon to go shopping in Black Alley for some weapons and stuff."

"We're going to help him for _tomorrow's_ mission then." Stated Andrew.

Desiree nodded. Adam asked once more. "But what if the guards who we kinda bumped into this afternoon finds us and arrests us?" The boys looked at Desiree. She thought for a moment then answered.

"We'll run."

"Run? You really think that'll do us any good?"

"Well, since (and IF they remember you) they're after you two, you guys can split up at a fork somewhere or something then meet back up at Black Alley after losing the guards."

"We don't even know this map that well! We'll get lost!" Adam argued.

"This place isn't even as huge as you think it is. Oh, look don't worry. It's late and we have to go to sleep soon."

Miriam was ahead of her and had already fallen asleep on her couch. Andrew gently woke her up and told her to go to sleep and Miriam almost automatically stood up and propped herself on her bed.

Andrew and Adam went towards their beds, but Desiree stayed up late that night, wondering HOW to get themselves out of trouble should they ever bump into those guards.

* * *

The next morning started out easy. They went to Black Alley without alerting anyone and the boys were walking in plain daylight without getting any stares as if the incidents of yesterday never occurred. 

She happened upon Heartless Perry who she talked to about random things and every now and then dropped Garrett's name.

"How'd you know Garrett anyway?"

"I'm an old friend of his."

"… you're not one of Lady Rutherfords, are ya?" his visible eye twitched, obviously from fear of having his bruises worsened.

Desiree cackled almost evilly. "Oh, good Lord, no. You'd be dead by now if I was." Perry seemed slightly relieved but rather uneasy at her comment.

"Well, then, is that all?"

"Yup-yup. I'm alright. Ooh, ooh, I, er … _found _this ring on my way here. Do you think --."

"Oh, that's a fair nab."

They went back to bargaining the price of the ring she stole from some unlucky person and Miriam, Adam and Andrew were behind her, chatting about what each of them should be.

"Desiree said we could be a mercenary, blacksmith and a tailor."

"I understand the two, but why a tailor?" Andrew asked.

Miriam was silent for a moment then said, "Our clothes will get wrecked on our missions, wouldn't it? Should we get in a fight with them guards so a tailor would be handy in fixing the tears in the cloth."

Andrew looked at Miriam. "You do textiles, right?"

"Yeah… you're point?"

"Well, you can be the tailor. I wanna be the mercenary."

"That makes me Blacksmith then." Piped up Adam. The two nodded. But Adam then asked. "But that means only Andrew gets to go on missions."

"No, all of you will still go, if you want to, that is." Desiree suddenly said from behind them, carrying a bag of what seemed a _lot _of gold. Noticing the interested glances at her carry, she added. "Not a lot. Just enough though. So don't dream."

Looking quite disappointed, the headed off to the 'Well-Equipped Thief'. There, the proprietor was most courteous and helped Desiree a good deal of what she should buy. They discussed their want of making a sort of service to Garrett and Thomas was more than glad to help them prepare for it.

Carrying rather large and conspicuous bags on their way home, they started to talk about their real life.

"Hey, Des, do you think in our world, it's also been two days already?"

Desiree thought a while. "I haven't really thought of that. Hopefully, time stopped wherever our world is. I really don't wanna waste nine days of my life in a game, as much as that would've been enticing had I been still in our world."

"Nine days? Is that how long the missions are?" Adam inquired.

"Yeah, nine days. Day One is one missions, Day Seve—OH HOLY BITING BUILDER ON A BICYCLE!" she suddenly exclaimed.

A volley of 'what's exploded and they started to tense and inch towards the shadows.

"Oh, no, don't worry." She added hastily. "You guys are … oh god. I don't like this… On Day Seven – ohhh, man…"

"What? Spill it!" Andrew yelled at her in which he earned a lot of stares from the women who walked past.

"Umm, on Day Seven we have to go into a really, really haunted place and there are zombies there and ohh man, don't even talk to me about Day 8 and 9!"

"What?!"

"Look, we'll talk about this in the room." Desiree and the group entered the building and hastily retreated to their room.

After dumping the bags of weapons and other equipment, Desiree proceeded to explain.

"In Day Seven," she sat down on the chair. "The mission is called

"Robbing the Cradle". It's not as bright and happy as it seems." Desiree looked scared and pale.

"We could be able to skip out on it and let Garrett handle it but it will most probably contain information on how _we_ get back to our world, coz Garrett gets the information he needs on his mission there too."

Adam interrupted. "So, what's so scary about it?"

"It's an asylum. Or was." Desiree turned paler. "They turned it into an orphanage after a while, I forgot why, but some years later a fire started or something along those lines and children AND the mentally-unstable patients were trapped in there. They died obviously." She snapped her fingers. "Instant zombies."

"So, how do we fight them? Holy water?"

"_Precisément,_ _mon cher _Hastings." Desiree paused then shook her head. "Holy Water we do need. But we need to buy a whole feckload of them from Hammerites or something coz it takes around two or three bottles of them to kill them."

"What about the other Days?"

She stopped and thought a while. "Well, we _do _meet zombies earlier in the game but they're not as threatening as the ones in the Shalebridge Cradle. I think it happens in Day Four. 'The House of Widow Moira' the mission's called. Zombies on a Ghost Ship called the 'Abysmal Gale'."

"Okay, so, how about Day 8 and 9m like you said earlier?"

Desiree nodded. "Day 8, we need to dodge those living Statues and find out where the Traitor is. You remember? Why I didn't want you guys to sleep over at the Keeper Library?"

They nodded. "Day 9?" Andrew asked.

"Is the big finish. The Traitor is in its full form and is wandering the ENTIRE City on the watch for Garrett. Or in this case, us. We have to go around the entire City and place certain things in certain places to destroy the fugly thing."

The group sat in thoughtful silence.

"Can we die?" Miriam asked.

Desiree shrugged. "Probably, but I don't know if our life gets reset or anything. You know, saving the game and loading it and whatever." They nodded once more and Adam then spoke up. "Hopefully we can make it out alive then."

"Hopefully." Desiree repeated.


	4. Action Moments

**Disclaimer: **This is in no way my story. Okay, wait, the plot is. No wait, Garrett and the Thief plot isn't mine. They belong to either Ion Storm and/or Looking Glass Studios.

**A/N:** Finally, I finished Ch 4. Good thing it took long really. Coz I was suffering a lotta dilemnas in the making. Corinne -- ahem "C" was helping me through it all. Good thing too, that's she so anno-- persistent. XDD. So you other people owe this "C" person a free headbutt. This chapter is all for Andrew. Coz it semi-centers around him at the end. D

* * *

Desiree's planning was rather sloppy. Either that or they weren't very informed of her plans. All they know is they have to be ready for some "action" that night for she would convince both the Keeper Council and Garrett that she would like to help in the missions so that it might give them information as to how to get back to their world. Strangely enough, the Council was all too compliant to her meekly said request which was met with an enthusiastic reply although only Garrett seemed to protest.

"Why didn't he just say he wouldn't do the mission if we had to tag along?" Adam asked.

The raven-haired girl shrugged. "I only know that he's doing these missions coz he wants to see the prophecies from the Glyphs for himself. Selfish man that he is."

They walked along out of the Terces Courtyard having a bit of a chat when a figure passed which caught Adam's eye. For a short moment, he thought it was someone he knew, but because of the bustling crowd the figure disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Shaking his head he walked on.

"Anyway, we should take a bit of a rest from all the events we've gone through the past few days. I vote we take a long refreshing nap."

"Not me." Adam spoke up. "I wanna have a bit of a walk around South Quarter. Just to get familiar with it." Desiree nodded, then stopped as in afterthought. "Bring someone with you at least."

"Hmm," he thought. Andrew was most probably going to tease him of something, he isn't very familiar with Miriam as he only knew her through Desiree, and Desiree was too tired. He took his chance with Miriam. "I'll go with Miriam."

"Okies. You up for it, Mim?" Miriam looked rather nonplussed. "Why me?"

"Well, he chose to go with you." Desiree said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"But why?" She glanced at Adam.

"Trust me, I have no ulterior motive."

"Sure, you don't…" Andrew commented.

Adam shook his head.

"Fine. I'll go alone."

Desiree shook her head vigorously after which she stopped and swayed slightly from the dizziness that ensued. "No, you aren't. Drag someone with you."

"It's either you or Miriam."

"Excuse me?" Andrew interjected.

"Andrew, you're probably going to tease me or something along the way. I want to focus on familiarizing with this place."

Andrew raised his eyebrows. "Gee, thanks."

Miriam threw him a sympathetic glance.

Desiree sighed. "I'll tag along. Anyway, that means you'll get more information on where you are just in case you get lost."

* * *

They walked in silence. Adam glanced at her. "I thought you liked me." 

Desiree shook her head as if in a trance. "I'm sorry?"

He repeated what he said. "I thought you liked me."

She looked at him concernedly. "Um … I guess it's bad that you're the last to know, but I kinda got over you someway through last year."

Adam furrowed his brows. "Really?"

She nodded. "Disappointed?"

He shook his head. "No. It just seemed strange that you were rather reluctant to walk with me. It was either that or you are a good actor."

Desiree smiled cheekily. "A bit of both."

They laughed.

After they relaxed, Adam saw a figure of someone - again. He turned to look in that direction and saw Black Alley and barely caught a glance of the aforesaid figure just disappearing into the dark alleyway.

"Hey." He nodded his head towards the Alley.

"What?" Desiree followed his glance. "I don't think we need anything do w-."

"No, no." Adam explained. "I just saw someone."

She raised her eyebrows. "A guard? Who?"

"I don't know. I want to see who it is."

Even more confused, she asked. "So, you saw someone but you don't know who it is? Okay, whoever that person is, she or he has some obvious feature to be familiar."

Adam gave frowned at her. "Just c'mon."

They walked briskly towards Black Alley, making sure that no one had seen them especially the rather alert guard that was assigned at the outpost near the entrance. Afterwards, they saw a figure of a lady that - rather dramatically – was standing underneath the light of the lamp post, casting a long shadow behind her.

Adam and Desiree stopped and studied the figure. She (the silhouette seemed to have too curvy to have been a man's seemed to be wearing some sort of short tunic and a couple of --.

"Hey!" Desiree exclaimed. The figure turned around. She panicked and ran away into the darkness of the early evening. Adam looked at Desiree angrily. "Why'd you shout! We should've approached her carefully!"

She shook her head. "That was someone from the real world! She was dressed in a shirt and jeans! And a hat! C'mon let's catch her." After the mutual agreement, they both ran after the quickly disappearing woman.

They cornered her in the dead end next to Heartless Perry's shop. She frantically looked for some way out while they slowed to a halt.

"Come near me and I'll fucking bash you." The voice rang familiar in both their ears. The woman grabbed a piece of wood from some broken down cart beside her.

Adam came into the light. "…Corinne?" He asked incredulously.

The woman seemed to have relaxed her tight grip on the piece of wood. "Adam?" Both came into the light. "What are you doing here?" Corinne asked.

"Same thing I was going to ask you." He replied nonchalantly. She turned her eyes on Desiree. "Desiree? What are you guys --." Corinne shook her head. "Sorry about the running away. I was being eyed up by these weird guys in armor and they started stalking me and I had to lose them somehow. I thought you were them."

Adam said soothingly, "Don't worry. We got an apartment nearby. You can live with us." They embraced. Desiree felt that slight pang of jealousy and shook it off by closing her eyes for a moment.

"Hey guys, we gotta get outta here before whoever these guards are start looking for you, Corinne." Nodding in acknowledgement they rushed out of Black Alley and back into their apartment.

As if on cue, they approached their door when it swung open. An annoyed Garrett stood in the doorway, with what felt like a raised eyebrow (given his hood covered his face in darkness except for his glowing green eye). He studied Corinne rather intensely.

"So, this is what Artemus was talking about."

"This?" Corinne repeated indignantly.

"Get in." Garrett ordered.

"Last time you said that we were at each other throats." Desiree commented as they entered.

Garrett looked at her. She wasn't sure of his expression seeing as he was always shrouded by the shadows in his hood. Desiree momentarily thought of telling him off for not taking his hood off for entering but saved that enticing idea for later, seeing as she's never seen him without his hood on.

As the door closed shut behind them, Garrett started explaining. "Before I came here, I just went for a little eavesdropping on some of the Keepers for some information about you."

"Oh, all of a sudden you're so interested in us!" Desiree exclaimed sarcastically. The Master Thief silenced her with a look. "Apparently, the entire explanation is that you are supposed to be from some sort of alternate dimension with these powers that can predict what happens."

"Or how it's _supposed _to happen." Desiree added Garrett gave her an annoyed look. "Who's explaining here?"

She added with a smug look, "You are, but I'm just the commentary." The instant the words escaped her mouth she once again felt Garrett narrow his eyes at her and shut up immediately. "Continue anyway." she added hastily.

"Well, before I was _rudely _interrupted…" he gave a pointed look at Desiree. "You are supposed to have these powers and you're supposed to help everything come to an end."

Desiree exclaimed. "What?! H-hey, look, we got here confused and now we'd like to leave. Not our fault if anything bad happens. Wait, you mean 'end' as in 'end of the world', right?"

The Master Thief shrugged. "I have no idea. But I have a feeling that it'll be decided by you yourselves when the time comes."

The group had been silent during the conversation and for the first time Corinne spoke up. "Look, I have no idea what dimension I've been sucked in, neither do I know who the hell you are, but we better get out of here alive."

Adam agreed enthusiastically. Desiree mockingly wondered why he was suddenly so keen. Mentally rolling her eyes, she changed the subject before Corinne had the chance to go rabid on the Master Thief. "Anyway, we'll leave the big picture for later. For now, what's our first mission?"

Garrett, suspicious to her sudden change of topic, continued. "We'll head out to the well near the entrance to the Docks. I'll explain when we get there."

* * *

Their trip to the well was strangely uneventful except for Adam's and Corinne's avid conversation about alternate realities which Garrett, Desiree guessed, had chosen to ignore due to the highfalutin terms they had used. Andrew poked both Desiree and Miriam hard every now and then but only Miriam seemed to react to it. Desiree had chosen to ignore mainly because of the fact she was walking alongside Garrett who was about two inches away from her. 

"What are we supposed to steal this time, anyway?"

"The Keepers want me to steal an object from the Pagans called the Jacknall's Paw."

"What is it?" Piped up Andrew from behind her.

"It's a mummified hand – char-."

"-ming." Desiree echoed. Garrett threw her a bemused look and Desiree, embarrassed, replied with a cough. "Ahem. Anyway, a mummified hand?"

"Yeah. But then, what should I expect from a strange cult of unpredictable primitives who worship the ancient Trickster god?"

"So, why do have to steal this paw thing? Did they do something big lately or something?" Corinne asked after overhearing their conversation.

"No one's heard about the Pagan's lately. But Artemus gave me a tip about this part of the South Quarter neighborhood and I've heard rumours of break-ins and howling in the night."

"Oh." She answered.

They reached the well almost in no time and Garrett was the first to go down it. It was steep, as expected, but as they descended a bit more, the hole seemed to slant and form a good enough foot hold to slide down. The rope ended and there was a high jump to reach the ground. Garrett chose to climb down using the rocks that stuck out from the wall. A dull thud sounded and echoed and Desiree could feel every one wince. Garrett usually jumps down quietly enough, but it seemed he had jumped exactly where an old bucket was which was supposed to be attached to the rope Desiree was holding on to dearly.

"Klutz." Desiree rasped to Garrett. Garrett threw her a glare. "Call me anymore names and I will aim my arrow at you AND your friends."

She felt Andrew kick her head. "Shut up with the insults - for now, anyway." Blushing angrily, she decided to jump down the height. Desiree didn't expect Garrett to be under her, but he was, and as she fell, Garrett just barely caught her. Which made her blush more. She wriggled out of his hold and went somewhere far away from Garrett was.

"I didn't ask you to catch me." She called out angrily. The Master Thief looked at her strangely then shook his head. Andrew dropped down and Garrett caught him by the shoulders. Realizing that he had intended to catch them one by one to help them down, she blushed even more. As Garrett's back was turned, Andrew pointed to her and snickered. He whispered to her "You like a fictional character. You are pathetic." Desiree said nothing but narrowed her eyes at him.

Once they were all down Garrett crept ahead, keeping to the walls. Desiree followed suit and stuck to the walls as she crept behind Garrett. He put his hand up and signaling that there were two people in front of him. They were thugs and were armed with picks. Garrett and the others listened in.

"I don't see no treasure, Burt. Don't tell me you had us come all this way for nuthin'." The first thug said.

"Shh. There is some around here. And we have to be quiet. 'Coz I heard that there were some strange folk around here. Folk with powers and the like."

"Cripes, Burt, don't tell me you led us into Pagan territory. I'm not gunna mess wit' them. I say we head back."

"Well, that's the problem. Uhh, we kinda …. got lost." Burt looked ashamedly at his feet.

"What?!" The first thug cried. Lowering his voice, he continued. "Well, we go scout the place, to make sure no one's 'round here so we can find a way out with gettin' caught."

"Well, _I'm _not gonna do it."

"Look, we'll do eeny-miney-mo then. Eeny … meeny… miney – oh, nevermind, I'll go scout. You make sure you guard this place.

"Right. I'll watch your back. Yell if you see anyone!" They separated and Burt added. "Or any treasure!"

Desiree giggled. Garrett motioned for them to go right while he tapped Desiree and Corinne to go with him. The Master Thief crept up the thug called Burt and raised his blackjack to strike. The thug turned a little but not enough to see Garrett lower his blackjack to his head. He went down like a ton of bricks and almost immediately Garrett caught him and dragged him to somewhere not illuminate by the campfire.

A panicked 'hey' sounded from their right and they saw Andrew and Adam pointing towards the rightmost entrance. Out came the other thug and Garrett almost immediately headed (carefully sticking to the shadows) towards him, with his blackjack at the ready.

None of them breathed until a strange 'crack' echoed the cave and the now-unconscious thug lay sleeping on the floor. The Master Thief looked quite pleased with himself as he dragged the body over to the other. Garrett motioned for them to stay while he scouted ahead. When he returned he then made a gesture for them to continue following.

Before anything though, Desiree remembered that there was a health potion atop a pile of boxes. Trying to remember how she got it down without making it fall and make noise, she grabbed the crates that weren't part of the pile and made a make-shift stepping stool. When the others had realized she stayed back, they tapped Garrett for him to wait. Miriam and Corinne watched her as she tried to reach for the health potion. Attempting one more try at swiping the object, Desiree hopped on the unstable structure and smacked the health potion off the top.

It landed with a bounce on the ground, but Desiree fell backwards, a sounding thud echoing. Everyone winced and expected something or someone bad to come up. Fortunately for them, they were only greeted by an eerie silence. Getting up, she earned a glare from all the boys and a sympathetic glance from the girls. Grinning sheepishly she followed them as they moved on ahead to yet another clearing.

None of them had seen a Pagan except for Desiree and Garrett. Knowing this, she whispered to pass on that the two women they saw up ahead were actually Pagans and not just squatter-living thugs. Garrett then told them to split up once more except this time he took the boys with him while the girls had to stay behind a large rock outcrop from the cave wall. Watching from the side they saw the Master Thief motion for both Andrew and Adam to go to one side.

While they went in position, they picked up some rocks and were picking the bigger ones. Judging by their position, they were going to have a sort of pincer attack from each side of the stalagmite that blocked the girls' view of the Pagan women.

Desiree could only hear some sort of animated conversation going on between the Pagan women and at the back of her mind she was trying to remember what they were talking about in the game. All she could remember was that there was a gold gutting knife somewhere on the ground beside a fish and that there were two pieces of notes around there. One was on the rock and another on a wooden beam. She _just _remembered that there was a third person in that area. She scurried out of her hiding place and just managed to pat Garret on the shoulder before he gave the order to attack.

She pointed to the third darker exit and just barely they could see the silhouette of a bald-headed shaman who, by the grace of whatever powers there be, had his back turned to them. When the boys saw this, they immediately returned to behind the stalagmite and Desiree took the chance to listen in.

The conversation between the two women had just ended and the older woman headed off in the second exit. Semi-panicking, she unconsciously took charge and motioned for both Garrett and Andrew to do the pincer-knockout-attack on the stationary woman as quickly as possible. She pointed that she and Adam would take out the quickly disappearing older woman.

They nodded in acknowledgement and carried out her command. While she and Adam headed in the older woman's direction, Garrett watched as the shaman turned around with his back to them once more and they swiftly took down the woman and with the help of the other girls dragged her quietly to behind the rock the girls were hiding behind.

Desiree and Adam snuck behind the older woman and as they followed closely, they noticed that the moist ground they were walking on had been actually a small flood of water. Desiree nodded to Adam and gestured that Adam should go ahead instead of Desiree as Adam was much more skilful with water. Understanding, he nodded once and headed for the woman, his improvised blackjack raised. She watched as the rock came down and hit the woman's nape hard. The older woman went down and Adam just caught her before her body could fall into the shallow water and make any sort of splashing noise.

After a while, they found their way back to the clearing where the two women were originally. While Adam and Desiree were busy with hiding away the older pagan, they had already taken care of the shaman and found his unconscious body aside the younger pagan woman's. They started moving once more into the third exit. Desiree remembered again that there was a wooden chest near them. She gave once glance back and saw that Garrett had already picked the lock open and it was open and very empty.

Desiree stopped and remembered that they should go east first into the semi-flooded tunnels. Seeing as there would be no one around to hear her, she whispered the Master Thief's name. "Hey hold on a moment."

She pointed to the second exit. "We should go there first."

Garrett looked at her. "Why? What makes you say so?"

She shrugged. "I'm supposed to be a prophet aren't I?"

He gave her a suspicious look. "What If I don't go there?"

Desiree shrugged once more. "It's easier this way. Through there you'll meet one of them Pagan tree monsters."

The Master Thief considered it for a moment then turned around heading towards the second exit and the others followed suit. Andrew caught up with Desiree and whispered to her. "What's this about a profit?"

She giggled. "Prophet, you mean. Apparently, I'm supposed to know what's going to happen." Adding a smirk, she continued. "I wonder why." She chuckled walking on.

* * *

They had reached the other side of the Pagan Tunnels and had just bonked one more Pagan who was guarding a chest with one single Ruby Ring. After scoffing about the cheapness of the Pagans, Garrett went on ahead to a torch-lit portion of the tunnels where there were some explosive mines. 

Andrew saw this as well and pointed at them questioningly. "Mines?" The Master Thief curtly nodded and stashed them all in his carry-bag. As they moved on westward they distinctly heard something similar to a pile of branches being stomped on by something heavy. All of a sudden, Desiree gave a panicked intake of breath and held onto Garrett's cloak. He turned around annoyed. "What, _another _tree-beast?"

Pale, she nodded and pointed at the creature making branch-stomp noises. It stood probably half of Garrett's height taller than him. Its yellow eyes studied the darkness where they were opportunely standing in as it probably heard Desiree's intake of breath.

Garrett said for them to stay hidden in the shadows. And he swiftly moved out of the shadows as the beast turned back round. Fluidly, he tossed something out of his carry bag in front of it as he raced behind the tree-beast. The tree beast noticed him and immediately sped up chasing Garrett. Desiree hoped that the Master Thief would notice the two Pagans that would be in front of him soon before _they_ noticed _him_.

Unfortunately, they did notice him and started going after him. Garrett probably already noticed them when he reached the turn in the tunnels. The tree-beast was halfway up the ramp and Garrett paused a bit. Almost like in those action movies, his enemies surrounded him in some strange surreal slow-mo. Corinne tugged desperately on Desiree's shirt and murmured hurriedly. "I know he's an ass and all, but this is going to get bloody if we don't do something."

Shaking her head, she replied solidly, "No. I have faith in Garrett. He knows what he's doing." In her thoughts, she added. _I hope_.

Before the any of the Pagans reached him, he turned on his heel and he sped out of his corner from the shadows like some liquid darkness. He motioned for them to back off a bit and they followed instantaneously. But as Desiree sneaked a glance over her shoulder, she noticed that he had once more thrown something out of his pocket. He lunged at the shadows they were previously in and heard three simultaneous explosions. Peering out of the corner they all hid in, they saw the three Pagans on the ground. Garrett then dusted himself and threw a smug look over at the flabbergasted teens.

"Ohmuguh, that was just too cool."

"Holy crap!"

"You rock, man!"

"Purple monkey dishwasher!"

Laughing at the last comment from Andrew, they started walking behind Garrett towards the ladder leading up to the Pagan Sanctuary, starting a lively conversation about his moment of action. Miriam and Desiree were walking behind Garrett, chatting about whether they would get cool action moments like that and how they'd set it out. Adam and Corinne were behind them, less noisily talking about how Garrett could've done that better.

In a strange, dramatic way, Andrew was trailing behind, studying the semi-crisped corpses of the Pagans. He paused on the male one, studying how he was in a strange position on the ground. The corpse was on its side, as if it had been blown sideways. But to his recollection, the male Pagan was running towards Garrett, not crab-walking.

He realized the others were ahead of him, now silenced, climbing up the ladder. As he started to walk, he felt something cold grip his ankles. He could yell out for help, but somehow, something was blocking his throat and fell, gasping for breath.

A thought passed as he lay there. _Some friends. Not noticing I'm here, sort of DYING._


	5. Fight in the Sewers

**Disclaimer: **This is in no way my story. Okay, wait, the plot is. No wait, Garrett and the Thief plot isn't mine. They belong to either Ion Storm and/or Looking Glass Studios.

**A/N: **There are those sad times when your paranoia gets the best of you and you get so scared that someone might stop being friends with you. Even if you know it's just your paranoia you can't help but let it flow out anyway and the infinity of "what ifs" start flooding your head which doesn't make matters any better. For emotional people like me, anyway. Here's a chapter fueled by that fallout in friendship.

* * *

_Some friends I have…_

* * *

"Hey, hey, hey…" Corinne stopped the group before they reached the top of the ladder. "Where's Andrew …?" 

The one on the bottom of the ladder (who was Miriam) looked down. The mist from the sewer waters was thick from their view but Miriam had descended back down, the other's following suit. Garret, obviously annoyed, slid back down the ladder to the anxious group of teens.

"Didn't you children keep an eye on each other?" He snapped.

"How're we supposed to know?!" exclaimed Desiree, obviously affected by his annoyance. "Look, we'll split up. Corinne and I will head off to look for Andrew. Miriam and Adam will go on ahead with you, okay?" Miriam, uncomfortable with the idea, consented anyway and headed off with the two men. Corinne and Desiree nodded at each other and sped back out the room and out into the sewers.

Upon reaching the place where they last saw Andrew, they found that there was now only one rotting carcass and the second had gone. Desiree gave her cap-sporting friend a worried look. There was a small dent in the mulchy-muddy ground, as if a body had lay there. A couple of pools of blood lay near it, both of which were smudged in the direction of the other section of the sewers.

"Trail of blood. Huh, reminds me of one of the older missions in the second Thief game."

"Yeesh, how _do _you remember all these things…" Corinne said impressed by Desiree's keen recollection of the Thief games.

"Meh. I just do. Well, that and the fact I've played it over and over and over…" They chuckled.

"Kinda like me and Kilik in _Soul Caliber_…" Corinne added.

The trail of blood that they followed seemed to become less puddle-y and came more in the form of droplets. When they had reached the other section of the tunnels, a large smorgasbord of blood lay before them, as if someone had just exploded and their guts bled everywhere. Normally, both girls would tolerate the sight of the amount of blood, but the stench of the blood made them wrinkle their nose and instinctively cover it to block the smell.

"Oh god. Andrew farted his guts out." Corinne joked.

"Don't say that. What if he actually did?" Desiree argued.

Giving her an incredulous look she replied, "You actually think he did?" She chuckled. Desiree rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway.

More blood trailed from the stains but they didn't need to walk any further. They found the silhouette of a body lying down, eerily illuminated by the torch some paces behind it.

"Oh fuck. _Andrew_!" They almost simultaneously exclaimed. They rushed to the corpse. It wasn't Andrew.

"What the fuck?" Corinne cried, "Isn't this the guy that G blew up a while ago?"

Desiree nodded vigorously. "Probably Andrew trying to make some sort of sick joke." Then to the corners of that section of the sewers that weren't lit up by the torch, she yelled out, "Andrew! Get your ass back here now. We're all way behind 'coz of you!!"

But all she got in reply was a strange groan. Corinne peered into the darkness. "Andrew! C'mon! We got Pagan ass to kick!" Again, she was replied with the same groan. They exchanged worried glances. Desiree spotted a small piece of drift wood next to her and lit it up with the torch. "I should've bought flares, eh?"

She whipped out her knife and proceeded into the darkness, with Corinne at her back.

"Andrew…? C'mon, no more jokes. This is creeping me out…"

A squelchy slice sounded right in front of them and as Desiree lash out her torch in front of them, they caught a glimpse of Andrew, his hair suddenly long on one side streaked with bits of red and much like the _Prince of Persia_ had his armor on with strange Pagan symbols adorning his arms. A slash on his chest signaled that _that _was the squelchy-slice they heard.

"_Who's joking?_"

* * *

"You think they're doing alright down there?" Adam asked Miriam in a hushed voice. They had just knocked out countless Pagans on their way and they had stopped as Garret was studying the map he found in the light emitted from the campfire. It stunk like fish around there and not being able to cope with the smell, they retreated far to a corner of the area where they could smell the fresh air and not rotten fish. 

Miriam shrugged. "I should've gone as well." She hesitated then added. "Actually, we should've all gone so we could lose less people." Adam nodded then they stood in silence. He fidgeted around a bit, then after a while, he stalked off to Garret who was muttering to himself.

"I don't care what's up with you, or what you're in the middle of, but I want to go back down there. Miriam's with me. You can go alone if you like. Or better yet, you can stay here" Garret, obviously not approving of what Adam was talking about, raised one eyebrow from seeing the part of his face that was lit by the campfire.

"And you know your way back to here?" He waved the map he held in his hand.

Adam paused then added. "I want to go back down there. They've taken too long to look for Andrew."

Garret sighed exasperatedly then rolled up the map he was holding and shoved it in his pouch. "If we can't find them or any _clue _as to where they went in less than half an hour, we'll find them on our way back." Adam nodded and took his weapon and Miriam followed suit.

Halfway there, they heard two screams and the drop of something heavy. Exchanging glances, they all bolted towards the sewer ladder and slid down, one after the other. The darkness of the night was in full swing and they had nothing but the light form Garret's eye and a couple of flares he had which didn't illuminate much.

From the distance they heard Corinne's name being shouted and the clash of metal and something dropping into the water. Running faster they reached the first section of the tunnels/sewers. They saw some stains to their right, and recoiled from the musky stench of the dried blood. Garret, unperturbed by the smell walked forward. He heard something and held out a hand to Adam and Miriam to keep quiet.

"…Andrew. Look, whatever got you, please, don't let it take over."

"_Desiree…_" Adam whispered to Miriam. She nodded.

"A bit late. Look how cool I am now. I'm much more kickass then I was before."

"Andrew, you do realize this is all fiction right? Were in a game!" she cried out desparately.

"Why are you bleeding like a waterfall then?" His voice seemed closer now and both Adam and Miriam felt fear for Desiree.

"I'm not bleeding like a waterfall! I--."

"Oh? I should make it bigger then…" A scream escaped her mouth, but instead of hearing the blade cut her skin, the clash of two blades instead sounded through the tunnels.

"Run!" Garret yelled.

Adam didn't notice that Garret had slipped deeper into the shadow, following the voices. He heard more clangs of metal and some hurried footsteps. He saw Desiree running past the torch, her shadow casting on the wall. All of a sudden she stopped and turned.

"Corinne!" They heard her mutter loudly. She turned on her heel bleeding and raced back into the shadows.

"No! Desiree! Come back!" Adam growled. He noticed too, that Miriam had disappeared. He whipped out a flare from his carry-pouch and it lit up. He knew that this "Andrew" was too busy clashing blades with Garret to notice Adam with his weakly-lit flare, but nonetheless hurried. It seemed he caught Miriam's attention.

"Adam! Get here! I found Corinne and she's bleeding a lot! I don't know how to stop her from losing blood!" The green light from his flare lit Miriam up with some black-looking blood all over her leather armor. He ran up to them and saw Corinne on the ground, her eyes scrunched up in pain.

"Hey. You holding up?" He asked her.

"Just barely…" she rasped. A grunt escaped her lips as more blood spurted out from her abdomen. Adam winced at the sight and grabbed some pieces of torn cloth out of his bag. He pressed down on the wound with one hand, while his other rummaged his bag for his gourd of water.

* * *

"So you're not too bad Garret…" Andrew taunted him. There were times when he really hated children and wanted to cut their throats. It seemed today gave him a chance … and a teenager with impressive sword skills. But he still wasn't better than the Master Thief. 

He blocked the boy's lunges with his two knives (the second originally was Maria's – or _Desiree_'s as he had learned) careful not to leave much of an opening. Andrew was quick, but his attacks weren't too hard and were easy to deflect. But his moment of assessing the boy made him loosen his muscles and the Andrew had caught him off guard and got a direct attack to his torso. Thankfully, the hard leather armor he wore saved a bit of him, but the blade still ran through and pierced something vital in Garret's anatomy.

A yell of pain erupted from his mouth and a few seconds later he was lashing angrily at the youth, ignoring the throbbing, searing pain that came from the new hole in his body. Andrew, smug from his successful attack, went immediately into a defensive stance, blocking each of the Master Thief's attacks with flourish. A smirk was playing on his lips as he then lunged one more time at Garret, pushing away his arms and slashed at the exact same place he stabbed Garret.

The Master Thief then retreated into the shadows and found that almost everywhere there was a source of light. He realized that the Adam boy was treating the cap-sporting girl while Maria was leaning against the torch gulping her potion down.

He yelled out. "Turn off your damn lights you clueless children!"

* * *

"—you clueless children!" 

Desiree looked back up and realized that there was enough light to have turned the particular part of the tunnels into a disco. She grabbed a water arrow from her quiver and (not even bothering to whip out her bow) smashed the crystal into the base of the fire, extinguishing the light immediately. To her left, she heard a hiss of a flame going out, and just saw the remnants of Adam's eerily-lit concerned face.

Remembering that Adam didn't know that Health Potions existed, she quickly ran to where she had seen the face, unaware of the level that she was at. Desiree tripped over face first into the water. Recovering quickly she ran, ignoring her bleeding knee and smacked right into a dazed Miriam.

They both fell down into the hard ground this time. Desiree muttered an apology to Miriam and put her arms out to search for Adam. She found a head and knelt down next to him. "Health Potions exist, Adam. Here." She handed him a health potion.

"Why thank you, Desiree. Just what I needed." Desiree panicked and snatched anything in front of her (which was by luck the Potion she handed) and backed away. She bumped into someone else and immediately lashed out at it with her makeshift-blackjack, crying angrily. The person blocked it and pushed her down on the ground.

"I'm not your enemy, you damn girl. Now stay still." She did as she was commanded. She noticed everyone else was dead still as well. Desiree momentarily worried if Andrew had killed anyone of them yet and her thoughts wandered to Corinne.

She heard a splash and almost in a fluid motion she saw Garret (who she now realized was on top of her and started to blush madly) whip out a fire arrow and aimed it at the direction of the splash. Desiree watched as the arrow soared in the air. It lit up Andrew's surprised face and hit him in the chest.

"Agh! Goddamnitstupidfrickinbiatch…" The smell of burnt flesh spread on the thick misty air. Her eyes adjusted to the dark a bit and saw Garret's silhouette prepare another arrow. She glanced at the head of the arrow and saw it was not the normal Broadhead and was covered with something else than a crystal. _Moss_… she thought.

As if on cue, a heavy splash sounded, but Garret didn't let go of the arrow and waited. Another heavy sound echoed but Garret kept on waiting. Then a light splash sounded, and Garret let go of the arrow in that direction. Andrew tried to deflect the attack but his blades just caught the tail end of the arrow while the head had already reached his face.

Several choked coughs then sounded and she felt the Master Thief pull her up on her feet and drag her towards what was hopefully the exit. They followed the light that came from the moonlight cast down through the ladder. They quickly climbed up while Garret and Adam stayed down to make sure no one else followed.

"Did you just kill Andrew?!" Corinne exclaimed to Garret who was busy tending to his wounds. "No."

"Then – what did you throw at him?!" Miriam cried this time.

"Moss Arrow." He said curtly.

"It just momentarily chokes people. Don't worry. If Andrew can take a hundred slashes from Garret then he can survive moss blocking his throat for a few moments." Desiree explained.

After a while, they rested a few minutes. Garret then stood up and walked swiftly away and the youth had no choice but to follow.

"Why did Andrew turn evil?" Adam asked Desiree. She shrugged. "Obviously, something else is going on. We have to deal with both Garret's story _and _our own. Andrew just happened to be the unfortunate victim of whatever sick story Fate wrote." She sighed. "Goddamnit. Knee hurts." She instinctively grasped her bandaged knee.

Miriam then asked, "Do you think he can turn back to normal Andrew?" Desiree paused. "I dunno. We have to find out first what _made _him turn that way, then maybe we can reverse it and probably turn Andrew back to semi-normal Andrew." Miriam nodded in acknowledgment.

"I betcha it was one of those Pagan asswipes." Corinne piped up. "I swear if I find a Pagan I'm going to do this to their asses…" Corinne made a crude slashing gesture. The girls chuckled while Adam shook his head, albeit smiling.

* * *

They had finally past the spot where they initially camped at before they went back to rescue the two girls. 

As per usual they left a trail of unconscious bodies while Garrett had rushed through until they reached the center of the Pagan Sanctuary. They had picked up a good deal of treasure along the way and had just rested to heal damage they took from the Shamans and the Warriors.

Garrett had gone ahead to scout for any more enemies while the rest, excluding Andrew obviously, followed from behind, stopping when the Master Thief signaled them to. At the moment, they were waiting rather impatiently at the bottom of some rickety stairs. Before them was a cavernous area with one single unconscious body floating in the water that somehow come from all the humidity in the vegetated world above them.

They were all silent, seemingly as most silences were broken by Andrew and the fact that he was not present. Desiree was standing and leaning against the wall, fighting to keep her eyes open. Corinne was sitting at the landing of the stairs, picking at one of the holes in the wooden floor. Miriam and Adam were playing tic-tac-toe with the mud on the ground, using their daggers to write them in. So far, they've had draws since they started.

Eerie as the silence was, Desiree could no longer hold her impatience in and turned around to say something profound. But as she had turned to open her mouth, a loud crashing noise echoed and, once Desiree opened her eyes from wincing, she saw that Corinne had somehow picked away at the rotten wooden floor so much that she had made it weak enough to give way. Adam lost his balance from leaning on his arms and fell backwards. Miriam fell forwards attempting to stop Adam from falling and had obviously failed.

Corinne was in the same position she was in before the floor gave way to the even wetter and colder mud under the wooden landing. They all stood there in shock and after a while, burst out laughing. Adam recovered from his fall, while Miriam helped him sit back up. Desiree has fallen to the ground her reaction somewhat similar to the popular internet phrase of "_roflmao_" as well did Corinne.

Unfortunately, the silence broken as it was, it had also caught attention from another deep within the cave and had let out an enormous groan. The group heard the heavy footsteps, as if it were stepping on several branches that gave way, alongside the ominous groans. They all exchanged glances and spread out amongst the dark corners of the dimly lit cavern. Desiree being the farthest out, peered into the darkness.

For a moment, it all seemed okay. The groaning had stopped, with only slight sounds of falling twigs echoing in the vast cave, but as Desiree's eyes adjusted to the darkness, the light from the one torch furthest down the cave reflected off two beady eyes. Trying to focus most, she realized they had caught the attention of a tree-beast. The others realized this soon after and started making panicked faces at each other, since Garrett their usually bossy and quick-on-his-feet leader was somewhere else behind the tree-beast.

Corinne eyed the surroundings while Desiree who was behind a barrel in front of her pile of sacks was looking at everyone for any ideas. She soon spotted that Desiree was leaning against a corner and peering more in the darkness, she noticed that there was a sort of u turn that lead to right beside where the tree was listening out for them. Corinne made panicky gestures at Desiree and pointed at the entrance behind her. Nodding, she gestured for the rest to follow Corinne.

Once entering the detour, they went through as quickly and silently as possible. They came out, facing the side of the tree-beast. Desiree nodded to the others, volunteering herself to be the first to sneak past it. She stuck to the wall, careful to stay near where the torch didn't shine so much. Thankfully, the beast didn't notice and she had successfully reached the other end, staying in the shadows where she could see the rest follow suit.

As Corinne readied to go, the tree beast had turned around and everyone held their breaths. They thought it had found Desiree somehow. But as they waited they saw it walk right past the part where she hid and back around the corner from where it assumingly came from. They sighed with relief, after the sounds of it's steps faded. After a while they all walked out, careful to look to their right in case it decided to come back out.

As they did, they heard a few explosions, as if it had tripped a land mine. Or worse. It could've been Garrett that the tree-beast had found and was retaliating with Fire Arrows. They all rushed to the turn in the cave, dreading another loss in their group. Much less the _hero _of the story.

Adam had reached there first, his eyes focusing on a faraway silhouette of a corpse on the ground. Desiree arrived second, covering her mouth from gasping.

"I'm not dead." It sounded from the shadows beside them. Garrett strutted out, a smirk playing on his lips.

He readied a fire arrow and aimed it at a nearby extinguished torch. It blasted to life, the flames struggling to come to life from the thick humidity in the air. The light shone on the corpse of the tree-beast.

Corinne blurted out in gibberish. Desiree raised her eyebrows.

"How – when … ?" Adam pointed at the corpse.

"You people are fortunately great diversion-makers." Garrett took out from under the tree-beast's corpse an object that strangely resembled a blackened puck. Studying it more closely, they found it to be a used mine.

"Hey! How come we don't have those!" Miriam exclaimed.

Desiree cleared her throat from beside Garrett. "We do. It's just that I have all of them with me." She took out of her bag a slightly smaller pouch of them. "I didn't think we'd need them in this mission so, I didn't bother distributing them." Desiree made a sheepish smile.

Garrett cleared his throat. "Anyway, I need your heads for something." As he walked away, Desiree commented to the others, "My head ain't going anywhere near him. He'll black market it or something." Corinne chuckled. Adam corrected her. "He meant as in he needs our intelligence." Corinne replied, "Then why do _we_ have to go? You can go in our stead, Adam."

The group reached a strange elevated part of a humongous dome-shaped section. In the middle was what seemed like a root from a tree above them. Embedded in the root was what looked like a rotten hand.

Adam looked at Garrett. "Okay. Wow. Most difficult puzzle ever. I'm baffled." He said sarcastically. Garrett returned an icy stare. "If you notice, there's a magical glow around the plants that is securing the paw. Why don't you try touching it, if you're so smart."

He rolled his eyes. Desiree interjected, "Hey. I know this part." Biting her tongue she added hastily. "I mean … I know what to do here."

Garrett looked at her. "That quick?"

Desiree nodded. "Lookie lookie, there on the ground. There's a red thingy of some weird shape. Beside it, there's a green one that looks like a tree and the other is a blue teardrop. I'm guessing we have to put the elements in them or something."

Miriam looked at Garrett. "It's worth a try." Garrett shrugged and readied a moss arrow. Adam readied a water arrow. They simultaneously let go of the arrow and the moss arrow that Garrett had shot grew after the water arrow had sprinkled all over it. They heard sounded of rubber loosening and saw the plants that held the paw had receded, but not completely.

The all looked at Desiree who had a dagger aimed over her forearm.

"Hey hey! It isn't the end of the world! We'll—!" Panicked Adam. Desiree gave him a "you're stupid" look and cut her arm. She hissed as the blood trickled down from the wound and onto the cold floor. The familiar loosening-of-rubber sound echoed and the paw fell from the root and into Garrett hands.

"Ouch." Commented Corinne on Desiree's flesh wound. Desiree shrugged. "Meh."

* * *

They proceeded on their way out and as they reached the ladder down the sewers, Desiree grabbed Garrett's arm. "What if Andrew's still down there? I'm not exactly up for another round." She gestured at her arm which was now in a makeshift bandage. 

Garrett paused in his tracks. He motioned for them to stay put while he went on down the ladder, his dagger at the ready.

Several peers down the ladder later, they heard his voice echo up the ladder. "It's safe!"

They slid down the ladder, seeing Garrett holding his flare waiting.

"No Andrew?"

He shook his head.

"So, if he's not here … and he's definitely not in the Pagan Sanctuary…" Adam trailed off.

Desiree finished dramatically. "He's prolly out there slaughtering people in all insane madness."

* * *

"Mwahahaha!" Called out Andrew.

His knife slashed through the entire batch of Year 11s. Oh, how he enjoyed this. All that was missing was an Xbox 360 and a good game. Preferably Prince of Persia or Gears of War. Anything with blood. But somehow, his want to play an Xbox game faded, seeing as he could recreate that violence in reality.

Oh how he _enjoyed _this.


	6. Comfy with the Keepers

**A/N: **Oh god. I haven't written in ages. Tests, the suckiness of people, and major changes in relationships within the story they all sorta made a humongous Writer's Block with a bite. I apologise greatly to people who were looking forward to the next chapter.

Hence, because of recovering writer's block come the suckiness of plotting (since I haven't touched this in an age) and therefore my writing. So for this chapter (and perhaps the following few) for the moment, excuse my sucky writing.

You also, again, owe 'C' aka Razerathane a big one for me writing again. She pushes rather … pushily.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Thief. cross fingers behind back I swear on my ancestors' graves. XD No, really, it actually belongs to Ion Storm or whoever. IMO, though, Looking Glass Studios for the win. I mean, really, Thief:DS? Sounds like some sort of new gadget. Thief: III, now THAT'S riveting. If they thought that changing it away from a sequel and into a "new story" would make it more popular they thought wrong. I don't see Garrett advertising Windows Vista or Pizza Hut for that matter. Stupid marketing.

/end babble

* * *

As they scrambled back onto the surface, they anticipated corpses of slain townspeople strewn across the South Quarter but as Desiree and the others clambered onto the well, they found that they were still alive. Garrett instinctively had taken out the nearby torch and quickly gestured for them to stick to the shadows.

After they all were above ground, they quickly hid their weapons and loot-bags into their cloaks. Slowly and semi-casually, they strolled out of the shadows and blended easily with the crowd. The group started talking amongst themselves in quiet voices.

"What do you think we should do now?" Miriam asked. Half of the group shrugged.

"What we should do…" started Garret. He pulled out a small loot-bag "…is give this to Artemus." The younger ones glanced at the bag and saw the shape of a hand and a cup and mutually understood.

They walked out of the South Quarter, carefully avoiding any of the City Watch and headed to the Terces Courtyard, as Artemus had said in the note Garret received.

The Master Thief stopped in his tracks, giving the dimly-lit street a once-over. "Something's wrong here." He slowly side stepped into the shadows and studied the people who walked up and down the street. "There's not a lot of people…"

Adam whispered, "Well, it _is _night, Garret. Not a lot of people shop at night. Safety and the like." Desiree cut off Garrett, "This is Stonemarket, not Au-- … where we come from. Markets are often open at night to attract more customers, albeit ugly and dangerous, but more profitable. Like Phili—ehh… where _I'm_ from."

The Master Thief gave a suspicious glance at Desiree. She felt him stare. "We, like the Keepers, can't really give away too much about our origins." She read Garrett's mind. "Dangers to the dimension and all that."

"Whatever. Wait, stay back. All of you." He went ahead into the street and as they peered further up the street, he had snuck behind a group of guards. Judging from Garrett's silhouette, he was eavesdropping on the conversation of the guards.

A short time passed and he returned with a slightly annoyed expression on his face but nonetheless grave. "I know where your friend is." As they listened closely, a yell from where the group of guards was, distracted Garrett. They sank back deeper into the shadows, watching the scene before them.

A short, Andrew-like silhouette zoomed from around the corner and had jumped a guard from behind, a gross, squelching sound echoing amongst the screams of the locals and the guards. The other City Watch guards backed away, unsheathing their swords and nocking their bows. They were too slow though for a very insane Andrew ending in two of the guards losing their weapons and an unfortunate Archer lost his or her hand.

From behind, a guard quickly brandished a knife and stabbed Andrew in the back. Surprised, Andrew took a step forward and spun around.

"Screw yourself, you stupid mortal!!" He coughed and doubled over in pain. The City Watch surrounded him, unsure of what to do. The one with the knife taunted him (from what it looked like from 20 yards away), waving the knife in Andrew's face. Andrew stood straight, readied his sword and charged the guard. The others, now fearing for their lives, ran out of view while Andrew was hot on their trail.

Garrett and the others emerged from the dark niche of the walls and stood in the now empty street. The Master Thief spotted a few dropped jewellery and loot-bags and picked them up by instinct. "If we want to find your friend, and get this mission done quick, we should split up. Whoever wants to go with me to drop off the trinkets, come with. Everyone else goes to hunt Andrew."

Desiree immediately took to Garrett's side. Everyone else grouped together to look for Andrew. He nodded and added, "Meet up here after we're done." Before they turned away, Desiree added as an afterthought. "If either group is not back in 10 minutes, then just go back to the apartment. Our way back, we fence this loot and buy stuff. Okay?"

The group nodded in acknowledgement and each went their separate way.

* * *

"Oh no, help! Somebody, guards! Help!"

"Feel my wrath!"

A loud squelch sounded. Andrew momentarily hesitated. Did he just see his Principal suddenly morph into a weird 17th century civilian? He shook off the feeling and removed the impaled body from his sword then continued slashing.

* * *

"Hey, Garrett, we're supposed to give these trinkets to Artemus in Terces Courtyard, right?"

The Master Thief curtly nodded as his eyes scanned the barely lit street in front of them. There were three civilians conversing in the middle of the street, right in front of the gateway, where under the arch was a rather drunk looking guard.

"In case you prophets don't know," Garrett whispered to her, "that guard over there is known as Benny. Almost constantly drunk, therefore he's sent to do his duty down here in South Quarter, where most of the thugs and a thief reside." Desiree raised her eyebrow. "They don't know that _I _reside here, obviously."

They inched along the darker corners of the wall, and reached midway. Desiree attempted to eavesdrop on their conversation. Not noticing Garrett go further down the wall, she whispered to her left, eyes fixated on their belts. "Hey Garrett, look, shinies--."

Glancing to her left, she then rushed across the wall, trying not to make noise. But as she looked around, she couldn't see Garrett. Desiree panicked, though knowing that she could always beat the Master Thief to Artermus. After one more glance at her surroundings, she heard one of the civilians yell, "Hey! I've been pickpocketed!" Their group clamored and the drunken guard named Benny, surprisingly enough, noticed and started clumsily searching through the foliage that decorated the archway.

"I know you're in therrrree…." Benny slurred. As Desiree planned out how to slip from the shadows and rush to the exit, a tap from her right made her jump. A hand clamped her mouth and as she readied her hand at the hilt of her dagger, a bag of gold and various expensive trinkets was shoved in her face.

She looked to her right and saw a glowing green eye and a very familiar smirk. Garrett let go of her mouth and shot a noisemaker arrow (judging from what was at the end of the arrow and how he aimed it) outside from where they entered.

The crowd then panicked and headed in that direction, followed by a more alert but still drunken Benny.

_Now's the chance,_ Desiree thought as they dashed behind the departing crowd and into the exit.

* * *

"Great, Desiree left us for Garrett. Now, how the hell can we find him if we don't know where to go?" Miriam sighed exasperatedly.

In the distance, the heavy clanking of metal and yells of anguish sounded. Adam then smirked and said, "Well, that answers that." They all rushed to outside and saw a heap of corpses piled upon each other while a single figure sat on top, cleaning his sword.

"Oh god, Andrew. What the hell did those people do to him?" Corrine whispered to the group. "We're about to find out, I guess." Miriam replied.

As they slowly got closer, they started making out words to what Andrew was saying – or rather, singing to himself.

"Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored. He has loosed the fateful lightening of His terrible swift sword…"

"…what the hell is Andy singing…?" Miriam asked.

"Battle Hymn of the Republic." Adam answered.

"Star Wars?!" She questioned incredulously.

"No, no." Corinne replied. "Some old American battle song thing."

"Oh."

They huddled together as they inched closer to Andrew. One of them accidentally kicked a loose stone and it skipped across the flagstones and hit one of the corpses. Andrew looked up from humming and around.

"Ok, who's there?"

Corinne looked at them and stepped up. "Andy, it's me."

"And who exactly is 'me'?" He raised his sword. "I'd like to introduce this 'me' to friend of mine…"

"Andrew, get a fucking hold of yourself. It's Corinne." She stepped out from where they hid, and motioned for them to stay behind her. "I don't really mind the killing but can you put that on hold for the fucking moment?"

"Corinne…. didn't I just kill you a while ago?

"No, that was you stocked up on 18th century magic mushrooms, now get down from that pile and come and be normal with us."

"Oh, so I'm not normal now?" His grip on his sword tightened.

"No, you're not normal now. The Andrew before the killing was normal, the killing is mainly what makes you not normal."

"Fuck no. Look! I just killed everyone! I killed Matt, random teachers, so many people! And they're afraid of me!"

"No, fucking, Andrew! You're fucked up coz of some Magic Mushroom spell some fucktard cast on you some time ago, in case you don't fucking remember. Now can you please fucking get down here."

"No!" Andrew shot an angry look at the shadows behind her. "Don't think I can't see you. Adam you're next." He lunged towards the shadows and impaled someone on his sword. Simultaneous yells of "Andrew!" sounded and Corinne put her flare in his direction.

Miriam was stuck to the wall, the sword holding her up. Andrew was surprised, but shrugged it off and took out his sword. "Fuck this." Adam nocked his bow and targeted a mocking Andrew. He shot an arrow and Andrew cleverly missed.

"Adam! Don't kill him!

"Why not?! He just killed Miriam!"

"Mortally….wounded…." Miriam corrected.

"Then I'll mortally wound Andrew." Corinne looked from Andrew who was dodging and laughing at Adam's shots. She studied how Adam was very precise in his shooting, but he probably could hit better if Andrew wasn't moving. She decided, there was only one way to bring Andrew to his senses if he didn't want to get over his Magic Mushrooms.

Corinne lunged at Andrew as he landed near her, and took him by almost surprised. While Andrew and Corinne were locked in melee, Adam tended to Miriam's wounds. As he unpacked her medical kit, she brought up a hand to stop him.

"No, no, go get Andrew first, I'll live for now. Just hurry it up."

Adam threw a worried look at Miriam who gave a small smile. He picked up his bow and arrow again and aimed at Andrew. Corinne saw from over Andrew's shoulder that Adam was ready to shoot. Upon closer inspection, she noticed it was a broadhead.

"Not that, Adam! A fucking moss!"

"No! I won't take that chance!"

Andrew side-stepped then spun Corinne around, to avoid getting hit in the back. "I knew it, you backstabbing bitches. You were planning to kill me, weren't you?" He pushed Corinne off with a kick, who fell to the floor. As he turned to run away, a whooshing sound flew into his back, followed by a squelch.

"Y'know, I think I've heard enough of that sound effect…" Corinne whispered to no one in particular.

Andrew doubled back, coughing. The arrow had pierced through his cloth and almost impaled his lung. Or maybe it did. He didn't know, he was too busy trying to gasp for air.

Adam, it seemed was caught up in deciding whether he disliked Andrew enough to willingly let a sharp arrow fly and hurt him or if he was morally-correct enough to want to look forward to a happy ending that he had nocked both a broadhead and a moss arrow. Corinne, slightly overcome by the series of events, numbly lead a very shocked Adam and an incapacitated Miriam away from the scene before Andrew could recover.

* * *

While the others pondered their bloody collaboration with the recently insane Andrew, Desiree and Garrett walked in near-comfortable silence towards Terces Courtyard as they had been instructed. Being careful not toe spoil the rest of the game's story, she started a conversation.

"Garrett, d'you've any idea why Artemus and/or the rest of the keepers would want a mummified hand and a use win goblet for?"

The Master Thief threw her a suspicious glance. "No. Do you?" Feigning bemusement, she shook her head. Garrett continued, "They're the keepers, a lot of their practices are usually along the lines of mystical and mysterious. It's not really my place to know or care at the very least."

"Why are you doing their errands for them then?"

"I'm not doing their errands. Quid pro quo."

Desiree nodded and they resumed the silence, assuming that if this Garrett was really the Master Thief, he wouldn't tell her what he was getting in return. Once the courtyard came into view, they hid to the side and waited there, in the shadows, wary of the passers-by until Garrett saw a familiar silhouette. Artemus turned around at Garret curtly sounding his mentor's name.

Artemus quirked his eyebrows at seeing Desiree at his side.

"I take it you've gone past the bickering and have grown accustomed to each other?" Garrett replied with silence while Desiree shrugged.

"Will I be seeing rosemary and ribbon favours decorating a certain Thief soon?" Artemus chuckled. Garrett pulled a face and harrumphed while Desiree, just barely remembering 17th century wedding customs, widened her eyes and also pulled a face.

"Well, there is a prophecy waiting for you, Garrett." He momentarily glanced at Desiree. "I doubt you need to hear it, you may already know."

"I'd like to hear it. Even if I know it." The Master Thief raised his eyebrow at her. "If. If. I said 'if'!" She replied defensively.

Artemus chuckled, and led them to a back alley – that actually was a dead end, Desiree knew) adjacent to the courtyard. Artemus raised his hand and touched the wall. A familiar symbol shimmered into life and a doorway appeared before them.

"Ooh… pretty." She said. It looked less computer-graphically-generated to her, though the mist seemed to exist here. Again, expecting the menu asking her whether or not she wanted to enter, she was surprised by the quick transition of the dark stinky dead end to a small brick-laden room that had an Archway leading into the room she stood in and gave a rather embarrassingly babble-like speech.

The Master Thief's mentor led them to a well hidden room deep within the labyrinth of the Keeper Library, dimly lit by dying candles which eerily illuminated the obvious speakers and darkened the silhouettes of the audience. The room clamoured at Garrett's and his accomplice's entrance but quickly hushed as Caduca stated to speak.

"The repetition of these three glyphs here …. And here… Naos na thei manos symboli atei…" The seeming gibberish Desiree heard faded out as her mental subtitles failed to support the following phonetics, at the same time the young girl started speaking, probably translating the occasional gibberish that Caduca faded back to.

"The time is unlimited. The end of words."

Desiree focused back on Caduca, her language suddenly mimicking English again. "And here, again, mark the entra franteir amenus…" As Caduca's voice faded, the girl spoke again. "…The betrayer"

The interpreter nodded. " … yes… uminus … terrible anvesagen…"

"My hands fall useless to my side …doubly cursed in living death." The girl locked gaze with Desiree, her deep ebony eyes appearing like endless pools of darkness. It scared her. The man to her left spoke up, giving her an excuse to look away from the girl.

"The prophecies are clear. There is much ahead to be wary of. Interpreter Caduca, your words are most useful to—."

Garrett interrupted. "Clear as mud. Exactly what will happen?" He shifted his weight on his other leg, tilted his head slightly to the other side. "And what are we supposed to do about it? I'm still waiting to see a useful book."

At this, Artemus answered him. "We must first understand the unwritten times if we are to prevent them."

The Master Thief opened his mouth to argue, but as he did, a Keeper-guard appeared in the door way behind them and stated loudly. "First Keeper Orland demands immediate audience."

Desiree felt the Master Thief roll his eye from under his hood as he turned around and started walking. She tugged on his cloak. "Want me to come?" Garrett didn't bother looking at her. "Whatever. It's not like he said he wanted to see me alone. Just don't stand so close." Desiree realized she was practically body-hugging Garrett. An excuse her mind created was because of the cold narrow hallways, even though there was more than enough space for her to walk alongside Garrett.

They reached a staircase that spiralled up and ended at a door, where a buff Keeper-guard stood, looking rather intimidating at everyone who saw him. The two Keepers nodded at each other and let them pass.

Orland was found looking over a fountain, but because of his flowing overly-decorated robes, whatever he was looking at, was veiled from sight. Garrett moved closer, but only enough so that he was somewhat inside the room.

"You've moved up in the world, Orland." The Master Thief glanced at his surroundings. "Nice view."

Orland gave an exasperated sigh. "Yes, I have. It's First Keeper Orland, Garrett. Remember that. And that within these walls, you answer to me."

"You called me here to remind me that you're in charge?" He harrumphed. "Job must not keep you very busy."

Ignoring Garrett's remark, he continued. "You inquired about books, useful books?"

Following Orland's question, he answered. "That's right, you must have something in here worth reading."

"Probably read it better than you Keepers, do…" Desiree muttered to no one.

Hearing her remark, Orland retorted. "You think YOU might shape events more skilfully? Read the signs more clearly? The prophecy—"

"Shape events?" Garrett interjected. "Interesting way to put it." A moments silence passed. "I'm here now. Do you want my help or not?"

Sighing, Orland carried on. "Very well." He turned away from them and moved towards his desk which was not too far away from the fountain. Desiree heard the shuffling of paper and brought out a small square sheet of paper. He handed it to Garrett who eyed it suspiciously.

"This will admit you to certain areas of the library. Do NOT venture further."

From recollection and her empathy, Desiree felt Garrett smirk. "You will NOT ply your trade here thief. If anything happens, you WILL be held accountable, _is this clear_?"

Snatching the piece of paper from Orland's hands, Garrett dryly answered. "Perfectly, perhaps YOU should translate for Caduca."

He walked out of Orland's office, the usual billow of the cloak while Desiree followed.

"You know, Garret…"

"What?" His dry, annoyed tone didn't stop her from cracking a flirty joke.

"I love you when you're mean."

Though Garrett stayed silent, she silently assumed that he was either blushing or pulling a disgusted face.

Down the spiralling staircase, two of the guards awaited them and lead them to the living quarters – again, from Desiree's recollection – passing through the room where they had both first entered and had first encountered the Keepers.

The two were led into the actual bedroom and Garrett and Desiree each took to a different bed. Garrett chose the one in the furthest corner while Desiree, just remembering the secret slept next to the large bookcase. She mentally noted to tell Garrett that this was a secret passage way.

As they made themselves comfortable, the same guards who escorted them came back in, one holding two trays of food and another carrying a bundle of clothing. The food-holder placed the trays upon the end tables next to each of their beds while the clothing-holder only approached her and placed it neatly on her bed.

After they left the room, Garrett laid spread eagle on his bed, while Desiree examined the clothing given to her. As she inspected them, she realized it looked like the robes that women-Keepers wore. Further inspection saw that it was.

"Those glyphs along the side of the sleeved are supposed to help channel your power or something." Garrett said through half sleepy eyes. Or eye. Or eye and mechanical eye.

She glanced at the sleeves and noticed the small pictographs, easily recognised as the glyphs that decorated the sleeve. "Ah, I see. So, does that mean I can move furniture at the wave of a hand?" Desiree mimicked moving a table next to her while waving her arms around in an _abracadabra_-fashion.

"No, Keeper's glyphs are more focused on the so-called 'power of knowledge' than tangible things."

She grinned wickedly at his sudden talkative mood at the topic of glyphs. "I guess you were a keeper in training or something, huh?" Garrett remained silent, his eye half-shut.

Desiree continued, "That's why you're a Master Thief. You have both the skill and the Keeper-training backing you."

The Master Thief replied heatedly, "The Keepers have nothing to do with me and I, them."

At that, she put her hands up in mock surrender and apologetically answered. "Alright, I'll drop the topic." Before closing his eyes for the final time, he asked her.

"How did you know that I was a keeper in training?" Desiree smiled and said, "That's for me to know and for you to ponder."

He harrumphed and closed his eyes. The girl momentarily lingered, looking at the Master Thief and realized she was in good view of his --.

"Wah! Stop it!" Desiree mentally slapped herself and continued to prep her sleeping gown. _He _is_ a handsome guys, in a rugged way_, she mused as she tucked her self into bed. _A pity all he has in his mind is wealth. _Desiree smiled to herself.

* * *

**More A/N: **Suckily ended I know, but I keep my chapters to a maximum of 12 pages each, according to MSWord. Verdana font. 12pt.

It'll seem also badly continued in the next one, once I get around to it.

Also, on another note, I will occasionally write this one from now on, so no continuous chapter updating. Coz a) I'm working on an FF7 Fic (OC, again, I know, but … well, not really again coz this fic isn't OC but RL …. meh) by request of the same 'C' and also will be on an on-and-off hiatus coz of my integration into imitates quotation-fingers "senior years".


	7. The Calm before the Storm

**The calm before the storm**

**A/N: **So, I left it quite awkwardly before, but I blame that on my lack of editing/cutting skills. Here you go.

Also, just noticed, I _completely _messed up the entire events of how things go. My mental walkthrough sucks. It should be remedied in this chapter. I apologise to those who got confused, as I think that was the time my computer was on the fritz and I had lost my save games and the like.

And, just as a fore-note from the notes at the bottom, keep in mind this actually is one of those lame-ass self-insert stories. Yes, people from the real world will be there. Yes, they will be there to screw things up, as they should. If that does not particularly sit well with your literate stomach, then I suggest you _don't _snark at me about how the entire premise of this fic is redundant.

In case the blurb did not give it away, it is a _hobby!fic_. I write it because I can, because I feel like it and because I want to be a better at creative writing.

**Disclaimer: ** Doesn't belong to me, blah blah, Ion Storm, LGS, blardy blah blah blah. The obvious characters (Adam, C, Miriam, Des, Andrew) are mine. Not in real life though. Lols. With the exception of one. XD

* * *

"Feel any better?"

Miriam, who was somewhere between conscious and unconscious, gently wiggled her head, signifying a weak 'no'. Adam looked up at Corinne, a worried look showing across his facial features.

"Where did you get this information, anyway?"

The latter, equally worried, replied, "From some guy who was in front of Thomas' shop. He seemed trustworthy, but he was creepy." Adam's eyebrows rose. "Creepy? In what way?"

"After he told me about the antidote, he said some stuff I didn't remember telling him. When I turned around to ask him how he knew, he disappeared."

He then looked at Corinne briefly and then pursed his lips. "Are you even sure that what he told you to make was an antidote?" Corinne sat down, as though devoid of all hope and replied, "I don't know. It seemed a little too good to be true, to be honest."

"I…honestly think…I'm getting better…" came a hoarse comment from the bed. Adam looked at Miriam's face and saw some colour starting to fill her blanched face. The curly haired girl stood up and quickly went to feel Miriam's head.

"Your fever's a bit lower. It's still there, but it's lower."

Adam worriedly glanced at Miriam, the so-called antidote that had been administered to lower the aforementioned fever still bothering him. He made a mental note to discuss it with Corinne later.

"Well, I hope Desiree gets back with Garrett. I don't think we can take anymore attacks like that. However, in the meantime… Corinne?"

She looked up from Miriam, her brows furrowing in reply.

"Can I talk to you about the antidote later?"

"Adam," Corinne huffed "Miriam's getting better now. It's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth, and all that shit."

"I know, but…" He argued.

"But for now, let's just wait until they get back, okay?"

* * *

Garrett sat across from Desiree in the sleeping quarters, having snuck back with all the important books they could sneak out of the Forbidden Library. He sat staring at her as she vigorously (if that was even possible) read the next few pages of the book that had shocked her a while ago.

"Okay," she proclaimed finally "This book, from vague recollection, is supposed to talk about your past. Not necessarily you, but just coincidentally the events that you have specifically shaped."

The Master Thief nodded, still looking intently across at the girl before him. "The first chapter just briefly describes how you lost your eye to that artifact thinger. " She nodded towards his mechanical eye, which had replaced the aforementioned one.

"The second one vaguely describes your dealing with Karras and his screwed up Servants. Angelwatch and all that – which by the way, was a very pretty place if you just ignored the fact it was owned by some necrophiliac weirdo." Garrett nodded, although a little more curtly.

"You're telling me things I already know, what exactly is so 'changed' about this book?"

Desiree huffed. "I'm getting to that. Originally, this book was supposed to end right there – well not specifically there, it's supposed to end with even more ambiguous references to the impending Dark Ages and mention how you're going to be essential for all that. What surprised me, is this." She pinched the book along the spine with her forefinger and flipped it around so that Garrett could see as well.

Leaning forward, his eyes followed the paragraphing and just saw the few vague references the girl had mentioned. Following that was an even stranger set of paragraphs foretelling of how the Dark Ages would begin, with the appearances of five distant travelers. These travelers, as the book said, stated that they would aid the Bretheren in revealing the Betrayer as well as find their way home.

"Originally it stops right before that 'distant traveler' bit."

"'Originally'?" Garrett looked up from the book and straight into the girls face.

"Yeah. Originally."

"You mean you've been through this before."

The girl paused awhile then answered, "Yeah. Prophet here, remember?"

Garrett leant back in his chair, narrowing his eyes. "From my definition, prophets see the possible future but not necessarily walk it. I think it's about time you tell me about you and your friends."

The girl shifted uncomfortably on the bed. "Look, I'm sure you're curious as to how we fit into all this, but just play along. Besides, this prophecy agenda is none of your concern, as long as you have money to pay the rent and all."

"It is my concern when the aforesaid rent money is in concern. I'm being paid for my services here, it's only fair to find out for what they're needed."

Desiree sighed angrily. "Fine, I'll tell you. But I think it best to get back to your apartment. Whatever I'm going to say, I highly doubt even Caduca could foresee. That and Corinne, Mim and Adam must have gotten Andrew by now, or something." The thief's eyebrows furrowed, but he stood up regardless of her familiar indistinctness as to the entire prophecy.

They packed up their books in silence, both their minds still buzzing with the anticipation of a change in whatever events the girl had expected. The quiet was broken with a sudden gasp and a loud smack that followed.

The girl had smacked her head and quickly approached Garrett, gripping his arm. "I forgot. Mission objectives is to find out anything about the Dark Ages. While that book is pretty informative as to my issue, it doesn't have anything to do with what _you _need to do."

She pulled him in the direction of the door, leading him out into the reading area. Moving further down, they turned abruptly to the left, and into the elevator. Desiree forcefully pressed the button, as the machine whirred to life. Once they had reached the second floor, the girl gestured for the Master Thief to follow her.

Desiree turned to her left again and turned to face a large bookshelf. Garrett looked over her shoulder, skimming past the dusty titles. He looked at the girls face, following her gaze. Her gaze seemed to land somewhere between "The Growing Dayport, Volume III by Keeper Dante" and "Vicious Flora and Fauna of the Pagans, a horticulturalist study by Keepers Ramone and Jarley".

She took out both books and gave one without looking at it to Garrett. He examined the book, and opened it up. "What exactly am I looking at?" Desiree motioned for him to stay quiet.

He noticed that right across from them was two Keepers in hushed discussion. Garrett assumed that the books were nothing more than guise for their eavesdropping.

"…Keeper Rafe had gone ahead."

"Indeed, it is unfortunate he had not chosen to heed the Council's orders, but it is all the more fortunate should he return with the Glyph with no need for unnecessary assistance."

"Surely, Caduca can read the glyphs without the help of a handful of Keepers."

"You must know how prudent the issue of the Dark Age is. Thusly, Caduca requires any and every help offered to uncover this Betrayer and perhaps even the Bretheren."

"Perhaps you are correct."

The rest of their discussion turned to more menial topics and Desiree, still holding the book, quickly strode around them and to a lectern with an open book on it. She quickly put it down on top of it and, with a quick sleight of hand, snatched the other book from under it and quickly walked back to Garrett.

They went down back to the first floor and as the Master Thief opened his mouth to inquire about the book, she turned to the left towards the other side of the reading area and sat down at the table there.

Garrett sat across from her, getting even more annoyed at her lack of telling him what exactly was going on. She seemed incredibly involved in the book, however she spoke quietly to Garrett.

"Keeper Draco and Scribe Elsan should speak of your next objective Garrett. Listen closely. This book, is also another objective, but for now, pay attention."

She silenced herself and Garrett focused his attention to the two men behind her.

"Keeper Draco, if I might have a word…"

"By all means, Scribe. What is it?"

"Well, just recently, I found a connection between the Compendium and the Dark Ages."

"Indeed? What connection do you speak of?"

"If you remember, Keeper, there were a few reports that described that the Compendium would be born of a Terrible Storm. And just recently, I've found out that a ship had docked nearby. The intriguing thing about this ship is that it's impossible to have docked as there was nobody alive on board. Only undead. A plague ship, Keeper Draco."

"Yes, I remember those reports. But what does that ship have anything to do with it? The Compendium has nothing to do with the undead."

"It's not the undead that is the connection, Keeper, it is the name of the ship. The reports say 'Terrible Storm'. The ship's name is the 'Abysmal Gale'. There is the connection!"

"Hmm. Most curious indeed. However, there are discrepancies with your findings. For instance, why would the Compendium show up in a ghost ship? It had been lost several centuries ago, why would it end up in a ship lost at sea?"

"But Keeper-…"

"Enough, scribe. You should focus your energies towards unveiling the mystery of the Betrayer and not on these far-fetched ideas."

"…Of course, Keeper Draco."

They parted ways, the young Scribe walking dejectedly back towards his quarters while the Keeper continued off into the commune area. Desiree stood up, smirking at Garrett. "Well, now we know where we all need to go, we can go back and debrief the others on this."

They returned to their room, finding the scribe from before, sleeping along with others. Picking up their satchels and tote bags, they made their way out of the Keeper library, nodding at a few of the more familiar ones goodbye.

As they exited through the misty doorway, Garrett commented, "You have a lot of talking to do the moment we get back."

"I know."

* * *

Adam and Corinne sat quietly on the couch, waiting rather impatiently for their friends return.

"We really shoul-."

"_I know_. That's the Nth time you've said it. She said to wait. We'll wait."

Adam grunted angrily. "But-."

Before he could complain any further, much to Corinne's relief, the door swung open, revealing a seemingly content Desiree and – as per usual – a blasé Garrett. Both were carrying a few books and trinkets from what they could see in their bags.

"I thought you were supposed to just drop off a couple of items?" Adam whined. He scooped Desiree tightly into his arms, then let go of the embrace.

"Ookay. Thanks for the warm welcome…" She gave Adam a strange look. "Sorry we were late and all—."

"Late? You're over 10 hours late. Heaps of shit happened, man—."

Desiree brows knitted in concerned. "What shit?" Her eyes looked past the two and onto the figure on the bed. Miriam lay there, a little paler, but was at rest. "Did the wound get infected or something?" The dark haired girl quickly approached Miriam, proceeding to feel her for a fever.

As her hand lay on her forehead, the girl woke up replying with a small smile. "I'm fine. I was worse a while ago, but I'm fine now." Desiree turned to face Adam and Corinne, concern still evident on her features.

"What happened?"

Corinne proceeded to retell the events of the previous night, while Adam added commentary as he assisted Garrett in sorting through both the books and the loot. The girl nodded, her face showing reactions appropriate to Corinne's recollection.

"So, you've managed to wound Andrew though?"

"Yeah. I told Adam to just make him let go of me, but he flew both a broadhead and a moss at him."

"Did he seem incredibly hurt?"

"Well, yeah. But not too much. He was still tearing off the moss when we ran away."

Desiree nodded one last time, before relaxing herself. She glanced quickly at the resting Miriam behind her before turning back to the rest of them.

"Adam, hand me those books."

Each book that he handed her, she retold on her part. The one speaking of Keeper Rafe and his venture into the Sunken Citadel, another one of the reports on the 'Terrible Storm'/'Abysmal Gale' story that the Scribe had mentioned and finally, the one of the distant travelers.

"Does it say anything about how we get home?"

"That's the stupid part of it. It doesn't. For all their vagueness and mysticism, the Keepers sure know when to be _not _helpful."

"What's this other book?" Adam took out the one by Artemus, speaking of Garrett and his entirety.

"That's the one of Garrett. How he's as prophetic as us."

The Master Thief, who had stayed silent up to this point commented on it. "The Keepers are wasting their time writing about me. I'm a thief – and a good one at that. But I've got nothing to do with their prophecies."

"Of course, unless your rent money was concerned." Desiree quipped. He threw her a look (what look it was, she was never really sure) and snatched it out of Adam's hands.

"So, to the point: I'm thinking we should split up again."

"Again?" Corinne interrupted. "You _do _know where that got us, right?"

Desiree pursed her lips. "I know, but it's just that, knowing these next few missions, it's going to be hard to get us sneaking across and all that."

"Even better that we should stick together. If one of us gets in trouble, we can all help each other out." Adam added. He turned to Garrett. "I know you're not a team player, it's quite obvious enough, but if you really are serious about getting to your prophecies and your Compendiums and whatever, you're going to have to bear with us here."

The Master Thief made no motions to reply, but his silence was acknowledgement enough for Adam.

Miriam piped up from the bed in a small voice, "Do I have to come?" Desiree turned to look at Miriam, and asked "Do you think you can?"

The Spanish girl looked at them, her eyes still tired from her recovery. "Truthfully, I don't know. I still feel weak, but I feel good enough to walk around and stuff."

The dark-haired girl shook her head. "We don't wanna push you too much. You're far too weak to launch into the next mission. For now, just stay here and rest. As chauvinistic as it sounds, if you need something to do, go fix up our armors. There are books around here if you need to entertain yourself."

Garrett let loose a dry laugh. "Sure, Keeper literature has always been a source of entertainment for everyone."

Desiree stood up, starting to walk towards the door. "I'm sure we should be fine. For now, we ought to start stocking up on arrows and potions and the like." Before she could open the door, the Master Thief blocked her way. "Um, we kinda need to go Garrett."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You still have more explaining to do."

Adam and Corinne approached either side of Desiree, as though to back her up in a seemingly forthcoming fight. Instead, she motioned for them to stand down, as she returned to the makeshift sofa.

"Fine. But it will take some time for you to comprehend it."

"Try me." He remained standing at the doorway, crossing his arms as he leaned against its' wooden frame.

"Like you said before, Garrett, we aren't your conventional prophets, so to speak."

"I think the Keepers are vague enough without your help. What exactly does that mean?"

Adam and Corinne exchanged glances and returned to the seats nearer to Miriam's side. Garrett looked at them expectantly, as though anticipating their input.

"They know nothing of this world," Desiree answered, as Garrett was about to ask them. "As far as they're concerned, this is just one epic story brought to life." The Master Thief furrowed his brows even more.

"In the world we come from, this is nothing more than a story."

"This story is called 'Thief' in our world. It comes in three chapters: 'The Dark Project', 'The Metal Age' and finally 'Deadly Shadows'." She nodded at her two friends. "They," She nodded her head at the other three "have never read it, but perhaps just heard of it through me of Andrew."

"All the things I know only have anything to do with you. Only so, because I have seen everything you have seen in that story."

"So," Garrett started "It's basically my entire story."

Desiree tilted her head thoughtfully. "Not entire. Just the important bits concerning the three Dark Ages."

"Why is it," he grumbled "in all my attempts to _not _be the centre of attention, I keep getting dragged into the middle of some epic mess?" Garrett sighed angrily. He turned to look at Desiree. "So, what exactly do you know?"

"I know everything that happens through your perspective. How you lost your eye to the Trickster, the Eye in Downtowne. How Victoria tricked you into it. Karras' split from the Hammerite faction to form the Mechanist Order. Soulforge Cathedral, the rust gas incident. And…" she took a breath "…everything that happens now. In this third Dark Age."

"If you know everything that happens now…" Garrett trailed off.

"I don't know everything now." She shook her head. "Things have changed. Our being here has changed things. As shown obviously in this book." She waved the mentioned book.

"Admittedly, some things are the same regardless of our presence, but you never know." She shrugged.

They all sat in silence, looking at Garrett's reaction. He sat silent, seemingly still contemplating this new information. "For all the trouble I've been – _being _put through, do I _ever _get rich?" He finally asked.

The three burst out laughing. He harrumphed. "I'm serious."

Their laughter faded off as Desiree started to explain. "Well, we never actually know. The story is still being written. But, if I must give you an answer now, then yes, you do get rich in one way."

"I don't like how that sounds."

"You don't like how anything sounds, Garrett." She laughed. "Well, I hope that's enough of an explanation for you. 'Coz we really ought to make our way now."

Garrett nodded. "You're still keeping things from me, however."

Desiree shrugged. "What good's the future if you know everything that's going to happen?" Shaking her head in a comic manner, she continued. "Look, enough with the philosophical crap, let's just get to stealing, yeah?"

Adam and Corinne, piped up at the moment. "Agreed."

"I think I fell asleep somewhere in the middle of all that."

Before they exited the room, they swiftly said their farewells to Miriam. Desiree took pains to bring everything the Spanish girl could possibly need within arms reach, moving furniture here and there such as the bed which was now pulled a little closer towards the fireplace ("God you're heavy Miriam." To which Miriam smacked Desiree in the face and heatedly replied "It's the bed, you bitch!"). After having set up the room further for Miriam, they had then left her there, while Miriam reassured each of them (sans Garrett) that she would be fine.

They left the room, still looking over their shoulders worriedly at Miriam.

* * *

As the door closed, Miriam painfully sat up, grimacing as she did. She took off the bandages, glancing at the seemingly healing wound that decorated her upper abdomen. It seemed slightly green from the edges of the wound, though she immediately dismissed it as she understood that green meant 'poison' or perhaps even 'Pagan' considering that it was Andrew who had given her the injury.

Replacing the bandage, she stood up from the bed, chuckling to herself slightly at the now messy room, from Desiree's attempts at accommodating Miriam's apparent handicap. Her feet had just touched the ground, the weight only slightly shifted from the bed and her entire body started to ache. Judging that it was far too early to start walking around, she laid back down, annoyed at her inability to do anything.

The Spanish girl had just set herself back down onto the bed when she realized the ache would not go away. It made her much needed rest completely uncomfortable, as the pain originated from her wound, as though it were pulsing throughout her entire system. Miriam quickly thought of calling Desiree and the others back, but considered her situation: she could barely get up from her entire body feeling incredibly sore, including her throat.

Miriam closed her eyes for a moment. 'I'll just rest,' she thought strenuously amidst the pain 'Just a moment… Then I'll see if I can get back up and catch up with them…'

* * *

"I really think leaving Miriam was a friggin' stupid idea." Desiree voiced after a long silent walk towards the Docks.

"Well, you did suggest for her to stay so she wouldn't get hurt." Adam reasoned from her left. "Though I have to agree with it being an incredibly stupid idea."

Desiree threw a look at him, while he raised his eyebrows in mock innocence. It was Corinne's turn to comment. "Look, I'll go back and look after her. I'm still slightly injured from that thing in the sewers before, so I might as well rest this out as well. I know jack shit about the entire thing anyway."

The dark haired girl paused in her tracks, to look concernedly at her. "Does it still hurt? Why didn't you say so?" She shook her head dismissively. "Doesn't matter. Just go get the Compendium and find a way for all of us to get home. The sooner this fuckery is over, the better."

Corinne turned on her heel and walked briskly in the opposite direction, waving her hand over her shoulder. Desiree stared after her quickly disappearing figure, then continued walking, with much delayed realization of how serious this game could get.

* * *

**A/N**: I realized I may have written some of the characters a little OOC, and reading through what few but useful reviews I've gotten, I've been trying to mend that. In all honesty, this is my first time writing Garrett, I thought I was doing well. Slightly embarrassing to be an avid fan and not know what makes the character himself.

So, if anyone would like to contribute to what off things I've made poor Garrett here do, I'm open to _constructive _criticism about how our beloved Master Thief should be. I emphasize on _constructive._ Vague, references such as "I dunno. Just how you write what he says and his humour isn't the same' will be ignored until expounded upon.

Though, if that is part of the OOC problem, in my defense, it's hard to write a dry caustic character into a humour/adventure/generic drama fic, especially on a first time.

Despite all things, I'm open to criticism. Please do review if you can. If there's something in my writing of them peeving you, then please mention it. In detail, preferably.


	8. Author

_**A Note from The Author:**_

It's been a good few years since I've worked on this, barring any edits I made to make the writing a little less horrible on the eyes. Unfortunately, as with any self-insert fanfiction, things change and people matter a little less in a different part of the life so, _**I'm going to be redoing this entire fic.**_

I will still try and maintain the humour here (admittedly even _that _has changed), though it will fix to a main genre of adventure, so it will be a little more game narrative-laden, since in the last few months I've actually been arsed to read up on the canon and the environments and such. There will be a tangible shift in direction for this story.

As always, I'm not all that ace an author, but I don't expect it to feel as happy go-lucky as when I made it the first time around, though I will try to keep it upbeat. In the meantime, this chapter will be consistently updated concerning the progress of _**After Image: Redux**_ (working title (though a better one than Thi4f, yes?) for now, may be renamed in the future)

Because there is some goings-on in Fanfiction, I'm told that this platform may not be as conducive an environment as it used to be (though certain readers who have messaged me stand as proof otherwise). I will still be updating/uploading this story on here, but the quickest updates will be on my _Tumblr: (sempermaria). You will find links to the story there._

_**Progress:**_

_30/07/2012_ – _**Drafting: 4/12.**__The story is outlined, most of it still consistent with the original points for the old version. I'm still in the process of drafting Chapter 4's content. I projected about 12 chapters for this, so I'm well underway._

_Special Note: Thanks to TwistedSystem for messaging me._ _Really rare (read: the first time) I get PMs from a reader._

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